The Magazine for the Axel Springer Family March 2016

Vorfreude Interview (n.) the joyful, intense, anticipation that comes from imagining future pleasures with Race Mathias Leader Döpfner 30 years of „Earning money is AUTO BILD Fotos: Gunnar Lillehammer / www.styleclicker.net not an end in itself“

Freue dich, ALLEGRA A fresh wind kommt zurück! Ab 31.3. am Kiosk from Brussels Europe in crisis – a great time for journalists, says POLITICO-maker Matthew Kaminski Dear Readers,

March 3 saw the press conference presenting Axel Springer‘s balance sheet. The Board publis- hed impressive figures that not only bear witness to the growth and success of the company, but also document its ongoing process of digitaliza- tion.

And yet, another important topic captured te headlines this past week: What are the fundamental values of our company in these times dominated by the refugee crisis, Islamic terror and a resurgence of nationalism in Europe? At the Editorial & Management Summit, which – not by chance – was held in Paris on February 19, Mathias Döpfner gave a clear answer to this question: “Defending freedom is the reason why Axel Springer is here.” We report in detail on the Summit and introduce the newly formulated International Essentials for the Group as a whole. Our corporate culture was also one of the topics discussed in inside.mag‘s extensive interview with Matthias Döpfner for this issue.

Mark Zuckerberg has left his mark on the culture of an entire generation. The “Face- book” founder‘s spirit of innovation and his ability to create entire markets continue to form the basis that has allowed his company to become one of the most valuable worldwide. This combination along with his commitment to social issues also make him the ideal recipient of the first Axel Springer Award, which was awarded to him in Berlin on February 25. You can find further details of that extraordinary evening in our report of the event. And, as you know, Mark Zuckerberg also has a soft spot for virtual reality. Axel Springer got to grips with this technological mega-trend in its very own way – read more about that in this issue.

The fact that it takes courage to stand up for freedom is something our United Artist Matthew Kaminski knows all about. He spent his childhood in Communist Poland, where his father was opposed to the ruling ideology. Despite emigrating to the USA, he just couldn‘t let go of his roots. Since the beginning of 2015, the multi-award- winning journalist has been building up POLITICO Europe as its Executive Editor. Talking about the mood of political and social crisis in Europe, he says: “It‘s a great time for us journalists.”

Kaminski‘s sometime home, the USA, has been the focus of Axel Springer‘s entrepre- neurial ambitions, not least since its takeover of BUSINESS INSIDER. We analyze the strategy the Group is pursuing with its US expansion and present the overseas brands. Also in this issue: 30 years of AUTO BILD and a compact portrait of the lifestyle portal Thrillist.

Enjoy your reading!

Your

Tim Tolsdorff

The Magazine for the Axel Springer Family Axel Springer SE, Corporate Communications, 10888 Berlin Phone: +49 30 2591-77640, [email protected]

02 CONTENT 04 06 Snapshot On location A Garden of Eden on the 30 years of AUTO BILD – roof, in the Ernst Cramer the market leader relies on its Conference Room well-oiled editorial machinery

10 18 INTERVIEW Entrepreneurial culture Mathias Döpfner on US expan- The threat to freedom was the sion, new competitors and the main topic at the Editorial & search for new business ideas Management Summit in Paris

24 26 Good to know Across the big pond Things you really need to know How Axel Springer about Thrillist intends to conquer the huge US market

30 32 United Artist Digital journalism Matthew Kaminski, Executive Virtual reality is seen as the Editor of POLITICO Europe, believes next mega-trend – Axel Springer in Europe and in journalism is on board

36 38 Tutorial Premiere party How to survive a shitstorm “Facebook” founder on the Internet Mark Zuckerberg receives the first ever Axel Springer Award

44 48 Corporate sports 2.0 Flashback An increasing number of A look at what has been employees are using digital happening at Axel Springer networking to keep fit in the last three months

50 My week Out and about with Markus Hohmeier, project manager at Axel Springer Corporate Solutions

03 4:33 p.m., Berlin, Axel Springer Building A trip onto the “Facebook” roof terrace

utside the Axel Springer Building a unique view of the sunny skyline of Berlin. er of the social network is the first recipient of thick snowflakes fall, forming a Later on the images change, and 200 guests, the Axel Springer Award. And to make sure O curtain-like swathe in the night sky. including Mark Zuckerberg and his wife that the guest of honor would feel at home Inside, however, on the 19th floor, wall-to- Priscilla, embark on a trip into outer space in Berlin, Creative Director Peter Huth, the wall and floor-to-ceiling LED screens present and into California’s Silicon Valley. The found­ organizational team from PACE and stage

04 4:33 p.m., Berlin, Axel Springer Building A trip onto the “Facebook” roof terrace

Photo: Axel Wilhelm

set designer Pia Maria Mackert conjured up Zuckerberg estimates as 3,600 square Read more about the happenings of an a “Facebook” roof terrace in the capital city meters of free space … made possi- unusual evening on page 38. without further ado. The end result was ble in Berlin without having to under- definitely a sight to behold. Having the take the long journey to California. opportunity to stroll around what Mark

05 in Pole-Position Europe‘s largest car magazine is turning 30. To maintain its market-leading position, AUTO BILD has to continuously re-invent itself. Other editorial offices can learn from this example. Photos: Toni Bader (2), Georg Lukas, Picture Alliance Bader (2), Georg Lukas, Picture Photos: Toni Layout artists with a passion for sporty driving: Annika Fischbeck in the “Abarth 695 Probing glances: Editor Hendrik Dieckmann Biposto,” a street racer based on the “Fiat 500” (left) and the photometry expert Gertjan Muda (“Dekra”) testing Xenon headlights

he treasures of AUTO BILD sit by former “RTL” editor Dennis Petermann. well-protected in a Hamburg “We have to adjust to changing viewing ha- parking garage. The collection bits,” says Petermann. AUTO BILD TV was T includes some 40 test cars, from originally planned as a TV show, but most of the “Ford Mondeo” to the “Porsche Carre- its viewers tune in on the internet: In Janu- ra.” Over the coming weeks, the editors will ary, the channel reached over 1.5 million on put their charges through their paces with an autobild.de for the first time. But they aren‘t unstinting eye for the tiniest details. No car about to rest on their laurels. “Competition magazine assesses its test cars with such pain- will increase; online magazines and blogs are staking meticulousness as AUTO BILD. But Small, but wow: Editor Jan Horn on an electri- experimenting with videos.” But Petermann test results are far from sufficient to remain cally powered “Razor Crazy Cart” is nevertheless optimistic: “I hope that the the market leader 30 years after the title was competition invigorates the business.” launched. building – and they must constantly adapt: Above the test car garage, the edito- to the developments in the industry, the in- Too excited to sleep rial offices of AUTO BILD are perched on terests of drivers and the behavior of readers, Today, the video department is an the fifth and sixth floors of the Axel Springer who are also viewers. integral part of the AUTO BILD editorial building in Hamburg. The cars down below The AUTO BILD TV department office. The collaboration has developed to in the garage, the journalists upstairs in the has been in operation since 2007, and is led such an extent that print editors are now

0806 2/2015 in The highlights from 30 years of AUTO BILD

Typical AUTO BILD – always stepping on the gas and going top speed for readers. Whether as a pioneer in digitization or with its investigative reporting, AUTO BILD has been at the forefront of the changes in the automotive industry. inside.mag presents the Pole-Position highlights of recent decades. 1986 The first issue hits the stands – with an initial circulation of three million copies at an introductory price of 30 pfennigs. AUTO BILD was still published in a newspaper format back then.

producing their own material. For example Joachim Staat, an editor with AUTO BILD 1996 for 23 years: “The night before my first vi- AUTO BILD is quick to go digital – deo, I was so excited I didn‘t sleep a wink. autobild.de goes online. Interested in a Nowadays it‘s commonplace for me to make bit of time-travel? On archive.org you videos on my smartphone at auto shows, for can view a page from December 1996. example, which I then upload to the social media channels.” Instead of working on a major show report for the print version as he used to, today Joachim Staat works on three or four 2004 AUTO BILD reveals problems with the SBC “wonder brake”– and triggers the biggest recall in the history of Mercedes: 1.3 million cars!

We essentially 2007 destroy At the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, AUTO BILD TV begins the cars. broadcasting online. Joachim Staat

2016 On March 18, the anniversary issue (1,549th issue) hits newsstands with the best of 30 years and a huge prize pieces simultaneously: an article for autobild. competition: AUTO BILD raffles 30 de, a video, and short write-ups for “Face- dream cars in 30 days. book.” “And of course a story that will still be interesting for the print version of AUTO BILD in five days.” Staat believes that readers and editors could communicate with each other even more directly: “The public could contact an AUTO BILD expert at the show through online channels.” To explain the increasingly complex world of cars to its readers. AUTO BILD

07 Hans Hamer, Publishing Director for Auto, Computer & Sport, began as a driver for AUTO BILD more than 30 years ago – here he presents his moving thoughts about the automobiles and the brand.

When I think of AUTO BILD, I think of … goes to the greatest lengths even today: “We essentially destroy the cars,” says Staat. He and his colleagues drive roughly every third … success . highlights from the car 100,000 kilometers. Then the cars are dis- 30 years as the ultimate car autho- past 30 years mantled – in the manufacturers‘ workshops. rity – and how a magazine became I‘m extremely grateful to be able “They often look over our shoulders while a multimedia and international to work together with such an we‘re doing our measurements and want to media brand that appears as amazing team, which brings know what we‘ve found out.” But when the a licensed title in 31 coun- together a level of passion contact between the manufacturers and jour- tries. Today, AUTO BILD is and expertise around the nalists is that close, doesn‘t that jeopardize the leader in both the print subject of cars that is the independence of the editorial office? and digital segments. unmatched in Germany. Almost everything we‘ve It‘s the reason why AUTO Tests heard round the world done over the past 30 Hans Hamer, BILD has set industry This is a question for AUTO BILD Publishing years has been a success, standards for 30 years – Editor-in-Chief Bernd Wieland. His answer Director most recently, for examp- whether as an “advocate is unambiguous: “We are the advocates of the le, AUTO BILD REISEMOBIL. for drivers” (e.g. “moose test”), drivers,” he says. “We awaken excitement for at events such as our classic-car rallies, with groundbreaking studies . my first car in the automotive industry, or our A green, 1981 Autobianchi A 112 awards. Junior. My father, a banker, would have been happier at the time if I We are highly had opted for a more reasonable . digitalization car such as a Kadett or Polo. But I The AUTO BILD group works with respected for absolutely wanted the Italian model integrated editorial offices that cre- and personally installed numerous ate content in all relevant formats our clear parts like a steering wheel and and for all of our channels. What‘s exhaust pipes from Abarth. From important for us is that we can position. 1985 onwards, in the development reach people with the right content Bernd Wieland phase of AUTO BILD, I actually paid among our brands precisely where for my studies with my passion for they use media and services. The cars – as a driver for AUTO BILD. concept of “added value” will be decisive here in the future – one reason why we acquired the majo- rity interest in the clever-tanken.de cars and mobility, and report competently portal at the beginning of this year. and critically.” In recent years, for examp- le, AUTO BILD demonstrated the hazar- dousness of the highly toxic “killer coolant” R1234yf. The images of AUTO BILD‘s tests on a pig‘s head went around the world. Such stories can lead to tension with the manuf- acturers, and even a halt to advertising. “But because we conduct our research so tho- roughly, we are highly respected for our clear position,” says Wieland. Our talk with Editor-in-Chief Bernd Wieland also includes Burkhard Knopke, Editor-in-Chief of autobild.de since 2009. First “car love”: Hans Hamer and his His office is right next to Wieland‘s, ensu- Autobianchi A 112 from Italy. The start ring short lines of communication between of a great love affair with cars print and online. autobild.de has managed

08 the impressive trick of repeating the success of the print magazine without cannibalizing In a test of camper vans, even the coffee-making its circulation. Print readers do not jump ship equipment is sized up. for the online product. “We reach people di- Editors (from left) Wolf- gitally in different usage situations,” explains gang König, Christian online boss Knopke. The website users tend, Steiger and Thomas Wirth discuss the results on average, to be more female and younger than the readers of the print magazine – and they want different content. The printed AUTO BILD – for which readers set aside more time – offers ex- Test. And they‘re all very successful, clusive background stories, opulent double- says Editor-in-Chief Bernd Wie- page spreads, reports, and elaborate tests. land: “When AUTO BILD moves “For quick information, the online offerings into a new segment, we very quic- are there,” says Knopke. “Users initially find kly become the market leader. With practically all relevant cars on the German AUTO BILD Reisemobil we tap- market on our homepage.” For new models, ped a very rich vein; the motorhome autobild.de tops the “Google” search ran- market is booming.” kings. And the distance between autobild.de In spite of all the changes the Editor Jan Horn and its competition could grow even larger brand has gone through, one thing during TV filming when the site increases its used car listings. remains clear: The story of AUTO for a car test in Knopke concludes: “The potential is huge.” BILD is far from over. Bremerhaven That applies to the magazine as well – an area into which AUTO BILD is expan- Cyclist Carl Philipp ding: “Last year, with AUTO BILD Reise- Walter perceived cars mobil, we successfully branched out into primarily as a nuisance in urban traffic. But that another new segment,” says Bernd Wieland. has changed since his visit to AUTO BILD: There are now six specialized offshoots, inclu- the car-fever in the editorial office is highly ding AUTO BILD Klassik and AUTO BILD contagious.

THE three most important trends for the AUTO BILD editorial office

Dennis Petermann Bernd Wieland Burkhard Knopke Department head AUTO BILD TV Editor-in-Chief AUTO BILD Editor-in-Chief autobild.de

“Car sharing. In the future, we will no “Electrification. According to projections, “Connected cars. The car will become a longer drive one car, but share several cars by 2025 there will be as many electric cars part of the Internet of Things. Even autobild. jointly that can each do precisely what we as combustion engine cars.” de will then be available in the car.” need right at this moment.”

09 Facing the future: Mathias Döpfner is optimistic that Axel Springer is on the right track

10 Photo: Max Threlfall “Making money isn’t an end in itself”

What makes the US market so exciting for Axel Springer SE? Why will the publisher not become a partnership limited by shares (KGaA)? And who are its strongest competitors? On the occasion of the annual financial statement press conference on 3 March 2016, where members of the board presented the business figures for an eventful 2015, Mathias Döpfner found time for an interview with inside.mag. The CEO speaks in detail about the state and development of the business, successful deals and those that got away, internal and external challenges – and about the significance of freedom in troubled times.

In the foreword to the business report you If the market falls by five percent and your ged the company, and also its structure. More referred to 2015 as a key year. Why was it own stock by three percent, that’s a success. than 60 percent of turnover comes from our so important? If the market rises by five percent and your online business, more than two-thirds of ope- It was a year in which the business changed own stock by only three, it’s frustrating. Since rating profits and more than 80 percent of a great deal, in particular owing to the steps the beginning of the year we’ve lost in a diffi- advertising proceeds. This still isn’t sufficient- we took in the USA. A good number of these cult environment by approximately as much ly reflected in our valuation. were small investments. A large acquisition as the market or similar companies. But of was BUSINESS INSIDER, an important course we hope that things will soon look up. What failures from 2015 would you like anchor of Axel Springer’s growth strategy for to forget? the US and the English-speaking world. What can you do to help? I’m not the kind of manager to put a gloss on I think the market still sees us too much as a everything in hindsight. It was a great shame If we look at Axel Springer’s stock prices, publishing company with an attached online that we didn’t succeed in buying the Financi- things don’t look so rosy. Should we be business. It hasn’t taken sufficient account of al Times. It was a unique chance to obtain a worried? how digitalization has fundamentally chan- global media brand in the area of finance and

11 economics. Nonetheless, it was right not to Was there a sudden trigger for the decision An additional question: How do these huge get drawn into a price war. And who knows against a KGaA, or did doubt gradually companies behave towards us? – maybe we’ll look back in five years and say, creep up on you? “Google” has always shown that they try to “Thank God it didn’t work out with the ‘FT’.” There wasn’t a single day that brought about disrupt and blow away other industrial sec- the decision, rather a gradual accumulation tors, whereas “Apple” has worked on fueling What will be the source of growth this year? of events and realizations. Doubts were gra- a music industry providing content, but in In 2016 Axel Springer will primarily grow dually growing, and eventually you reach a such a way as to benefit from it most them- organically – that is, with its own forces, and point where you say, “OK, now the negatives selves. “Apple”, if you like, is a partner that without large acquisitions. We want to con- outweigh the positives, so we won’t do it.” lets other sectors prosper. With “Amazon”, centrate on the successful integration, ma- we don’t really know yet. With “Facebook”, nagement and growth of the companies that One goal that you formulated for the compa- we also have the impression right now that we have taken over in the recent months and ny was, as a traditional media company, to they will develop in the same way as “Apple”, years. Some of these are brands with double- master the digital transformation successful- since they see themselves as a distribution digit growth, especially in classified ads. ly. Who, in your view, are the competitors, partner and take care to allocate particular against whom we should measure you today? revenues fairly. The discussion of the company’s mid-term Are they “Buzzfeeds” and “Facebooks” – or strategy once again returned to the possi- are they “Gruner + Jahrs”, that is, publishers And the third category of competitors? bility of its transformation into a KGaA, here in Germany? The third category is the new digital publis- allowing additional growth. Now that plan That’s a very interesting question. What hers like “Buzzfeed”, “Vox Media”, “Vice is off the table. Why? “Gruner + Jahr”, “Spiegel”, “Funke Medi- Media” or “Huffington Post”. They are po- A KGaA would have made it possible for engruppe”, “Süddeutsche” or “FAZ” mean tentially the most dangerous for us, the most the company to manage increased growth disruptive, since they are creating digital through capital increases, without depriving brands without any regard for traditional Frau Springer and the Axel Springer Gesell- business models and also have great techno- schaft für Publizistik of their company voting logical and cultural advantages. But this is a rights. We realized that investors were getting risk and an opportunity at the same time – worried about the new legal form. Compli- We realized for example, BUSINESS INSIDER. We also cated questions had to be answered about want to be this kind of actor. the long-term governance of the company. that investors As long as Frau Springer is here, we know Which challenge worries you the most? what’s happening. She stands for the values were getting An obvious answer would be the cultural of the company and is a loyal, reliable pillar, challenge: will we really succeed in becoming decisive for the company’s success in recent worried. an actor in this new age? Personally, I do years. What happens – and this part of the not worry very much about this area. We KGaA question has to be answered for the have already accomplished a great deal, sin- shareholders, who own roughly 45 percent ce we have a workforce very open to change. of the business – what happens when Frau I’d like to pay a huge complement to our Springer isn’t here anymore in the distant fu- employees. It’s impressive how an absolu- ture? Who will decide then? Which sharehol- to us as competitors has shifted significantly. te majority of them has approached this ders will have a vote? This matter has proved Of course we compete with them to offer the transformation adventure – at first, perhaps to be extremely complex, and in the end we best possible journalism and marketing. But with worries and fears, but then with incre- simply said, “Let’s leave it as it is.” the competitive situation as a whole has fun- asing desire, joy and motivation. The trans- damentally changed for us. We are dealing formation of the company from what was A KGaA could enable huge steps in growth. with three categories of competitors today. previously a very conservative, very German, Are we only seeing small steps in growth at Firstly, there are those who we could call tra- very traditional publisher to a colorful, mul- the moment? ditional publishers, coming from the analog ticultural, innovative and (in a positive sense) No. In 2016, quite independently of the world, very few of whom are really trying to restless business is great. It’s also much more KGaA question, we are not concentrating become successful digital publishers. fun for the majority of employees than wor- on large acquisitions. We were already saying The second category of competition compri- king for a company that just takes care of this back when we thought that a KGaA was ses the technological monopolies like “Face- tradition. inevitable. Moreover, we on the board have book”, “Amazon”, “Google”, “Apple” – huge also been thinking of other possibilities for international conglomerates with market ca- And the challenges from outside? capital procurement. There will be no halt to pitalization greater than some national eco- First of all, technological competence and en- the company’s growth. nomies. trepreneurial spirit. There’s the risk that we

12 Great oppor­tunities, great risks Photo: Max T hrelfall

are not technologically innovative or com- Can you give us some detail on how the petent enough to really get a grip on today’s relationship with Samsung’s representatives challenges. developed? They’re a huge company, 20 times We have to ask ourselves if we can set up With us, larger than us. Are we playing on the same successful projects on our own. If we’re only level as them? able to buy them, but not set them up, it will ideas occur No, to say that would be unrealistic. We’re eventually become a problem. That’s why fighting in a totally different weight class. But small projects like Celepedia, as well as large better in a it’s David with Goliath, not David against ones like UPDAY, are so important for me, Goliath – that’s the difference. since we can prove there that we’re able to decentralized Moreover, there are surprisingly many simi- develop new offerings ourselves – quickly, larities. Apart from the fact that they’re si- unbureaucratically, and that we are happy to way. gnificantly better at karaoke than us, I feel take risks. we’ve really not got any differences. Our co- operative partners are very disciplined, per- Have you set up particular innovation teams fectionist, thorough, reliable and ambitious, to help? but completely – and this also connects them No. We tried it and gave up. You can’t plan create a climate in which people dare to de- with us – full of life and humor, open. innovation centrally. With us, ideas occur velop ideas, to talk about ideas, to fight their better in a decentralized way. way through and perhaps also to fail. There’s a Goliath market that you would like to conquer: the USA, with over 300 mil- Should employees then go to the board and What role will UPDAY play in the growth lion potential customers. How do you rate say, “I’ve got a business idea, will you look of Axel Springer? the danger of us overstraining ourselves in at it?” It’s a start-up, a project with great opportu- this market, or making small, insignificant Yes, of course. That also happens. I’m pleased nities and great risks. If it’s a success, then it investments? about it, all members of the board are plea- has the huge potential of becoming a motor Many have already failed in America, inclu- sed, and I hope all the company management of digital journalism development at Axel ding German companies. There’s a saying: is pleased. Of course, there are sometimes Springer. This is because of its unique distri- Americans and Germans look similar, but glass ceilings. Employees have innovative bution platform via “Samsung” devices and have nothing in common. And there really ideas and their bosses then decide, “We can’t its unusual concept of connecting man and are enormous cultural differences. do that.” Sometimes it’s a shame. I’d like to machine: classical, curated journalism with Nevertheless, I believe we have a good chance see more courage and entrepreneurship at an algorithm-driven, individualized profile, for success in America. Many people in the different levels of the hierarchy. We have to tailored to personal interests. management of Axel Springer have colle-

13 Digitalization at a glance Axel Springer is looking for growth opportunities beyond European borders. 2015 was another successful year for digitalization.

Even more digital – that was 2015

non-digital share digital share

2009 19 % Revenues 2015 62 %

2009 30 % Advertising cted years of life and professional experience revenues in America. Personally, I particularly value 2015 80 % their mentality of seeing possibilities and not problems or impossibilities.

A very entrepreneurial mentality? American culture is very entrepreneurial, very open to risk. America is very big, very 2009 12 % dynamic, very competitive, very aggressive and very developed in terms of digitalization. EBITDA We can learn a great deal from them.

2015 70 % So, is the risk of being insignificant greater than that of overstretching ourselves? So far, we’ve invested with a sense of propor- tion. Even if BUSINESS INSIDER doesn’t Goals for 2016

Growth in classified ads I value their Investment in the growth of mentality BUSINESS INSIDER, of seeing UPDAY AND RETALE possibilities. Strengthening paid-content services Paid Models

14 problem in a resigned fashion, then we give up on the goal of our business and miss the chance to develop great opportunities for the future. At the moment everything is possible, even that journalism in the digital world will become stronger, more profitable and more attractive than in the analog world.

But doesn’t that also mean that we, if we want to deal successfully with this revoluti- onary phase, have to become more confident and creative with regard to our paid-content services? More attractive formats, more ambitious pricing? The short answer is: yes. The long answer: it isn’t easy to be totally confident and daring when you’re the first and only one – and our

Photo: Max T hrelfall goal shouldn’t be to become a brave but tragic hero. The whole sector has to become more confident and decisive.

What do you expect from advertising propo- develop so well, which I personally don’t see sals in 2016? happening, Axel Springer won’t falter. So far, For me, it’s important to see an innovation however, BUSINESS INSIDER has exceeded boost for the whole Axel Springer family, our expectations, and especially its explosive since the technological know-how that they offshoot, TECH INSIDER. have is decisive for advertising models in the Journalism isn’t digital world. What can journalistic brands in Europe learn from the USA? an economic Is that all? I think the areas of “native advertising” and No, of course there are also very concrete “programmatic advertising” are thought-out stumbling block. priorities, in particular with Zanox, idealo and implemented very differently there. They and Bonial. In 2016, the new team leading have an edge in experience in digital journa- Zanox have to put the enormous energy that lism and its marketing, which we could use. they showed in developing the business into its turnaround, in particular into generating And journalism itself? more growth. I believe that there’s enormous potential for With idealo we’re expecting the fruits of the an exchange between media brands, even labor that the team have put in during recent if we don’t want everybody to do the same could still be inspired by digital storytelling months. idealo was growing successfully for thing. But it’s interesting how, for example, and the packaging of digital content. a long time but then reached a plateau that NowThis produces video content. From the it didn’t seem able to overcome. I really re- beginning they assess, according to defined Is journalism not increasingly a stumbling spected how the founders didn’t react to this criteria, how attractively the subject is trea- block to success? Something like “ProSieben- lazily, spoiled by success, but looked at the ted, so it can be shared as much as possible Sat.1,” which concentrates primarily on pro- whole business model again to adjust it. The on social media. Or take the way BUSINESS fitable marketing and advertising business, third priority is Bonial. After successfully INSIDER tells a story. I wrote the obitua- has left Axel Springer far behind. entering the market in the USA with Retale ry of my friend, Lord Weidenfeld, for DIE Journalism isn’t an economic stumbling and building up sufficient coverage, the third WELT, who published it very professionally. block, but it’s currently going through a fun- development phase is beginning – the mone- Next, BUSINESS INSIDER translated and damental phase of economic revolution. The tization of this coverage. published the text – but in a very entertai- traditional business model – printed paper ning and emotional way that tried to excite – is facing so much headwind that it could You’ve always said that you want to give the reader, who had probably never heard of be blown off the map. Of course, that’s also entrepreneurs at the company as much Weidenfeld before. In other words, Europe an economic problem. But if we react to this entrepreneurial freedom as possible.

15 From your last answer it sounds as if you get large and highly developed, enormously dy- Does the disappearance of a shared medi- uncomfortable if things aren’t going well… namic and a real pearl for the company. um – the newspaper – also contain risks for The philosophy is that, so long as businesses With the merger of Immonet and Immowelt, journalism and classified ads? are developing as planned, or better, we don’t we finally achieved second place last year Companies that are successful with classified get involved. It’s part of the concept of “Uni- in the property classified ad market. Such ads act very independently and we have to ted Artists” that different paths can be taken take care that this important segment isn’t within the business. If performance is below seen as contradicting the company’s content expectations and there are no clear external activities. I sometimes have the feeling that grounds for it, then naturally we find oursel- many people ask me, sharply, why we even ves inclined to point out alternative ways and bother with this “content rubbish” – we make make recommendations. This isn’t only rele- much more money with ads. This isn’t an op- vant for marketing and advertising services, StepStone is tion for Axel Springer. We’ve always done but for all areas of Axel Springer. journalism, financed by paying readers, pa- a real pearl for ying advertisers and paying small ads custo- How content are you with the classified ad mers. Small ads remain a very important pil- services? the company. lar of the company in the digital world, but In the analog world, classified ads were cer- they won’t replace journalism. On the other tainly the economic backbone of the publi- hand, it’s also true that journalism doesn’t shing business, and in the digital world they stand in higher favor than other sectors. Clas- are also by far the most profitable source of sifieds aren’t better since they’re much more revenue. It’s particularly pleasing to look at profitable, nor are they worse since they don’t the success of StepStone amongst the classi- at first glance carry out Axel Springer’s jour- fied services, since for a long time it had to mergers are always difficult and it of course nalistic mission. We need both powerhouses fight skepticism that platforms like “Xing” or causes some judders bringing two different in the company. “LinkedIn” had made its whole business mo- business cultures together. My impression is, del obsolete. And what has StepStone done? however, that Immowelt and Immonet are on Is the monetization of journalistic They belied all fears and reported double- a positive path and have achieved important publications therefore important, so digit growth. StepStone is, whilst being very milestones. people can’t say…

Making money isn’t an end in itself

16 …that the small ads earn the money and Lachmann, who served as an advisor to the the issue was cleared up, so we kept the issue everyone else spends it? That’s exactly the “AfD”, strengthen political extremism and away from our employees. But when it be- challenge. If journalism is only the subsidiary those in Germany who throw around terms came clear that he behaved inappropriately, recipient of money earned elsewhere, it won’t like the “lying press” [Lügenpresse]? the harshest possible consequence followed: work. Hence we have to show that the small There’s a black sheep in every family. You separation. And DIE WELT explained this to ads business profits from the coverage and its readers in the most exemplary fashion. To content of our journalism. And we also have that extent, it makes us stronger, not weaker. to show that digital journalism isn’t a busi- ness model relying on the charity of others. You once said that one of your most impor- tant tasks was “to make creative culture flou- Some years ago you wrote the following Freedom can, rish.” How do you go about that concretely? about Axel Springer: “He was a man with There’s no plan or creativity strategy. I think an absolutely outstanding political vision along with it depends on your attitude – but in particu- of freedom.” What value does this vision of lar on the freedom you grant – and the trust freedom have for the Axel Springer family in technology, be you place in your employees. a time marked by terror? Freedom can, along with technology, be a a decisive link. The supervisory board recently extended your decisive link. The generation and use of data contract by another five years. How do you can, on a totally pragmatic level, be a link bet- want to develop the company by 2021? ween our businesses. Freedom, on the level We want to become the leading digital pu- of providing the purpose and social-political blisher. I’d like to lead the company into the mission of the company, can be the necessa- twenty-second century [laughs]. In any case, ry binding force. No society needs businesses could say a lot here about values such as I’m sure that the toughest and most exciting whose only reason for existing is to make as transparency, honesty and journalistic inde- time still lies ahead of us. To make journa- much money as possible. Making money isn’t pendence. It’s important how the issue is ap- lism a successful business model in the digi- an end in itself. Making money is important proached, and DIE WELT was exemplary, as tal world and to ensure that it still plays an in order to grow, to create jobs and to fulfil the German Federation of Journalists also at- important social role – I’m delighted to be a sense of purpose. It’s a matter of material tested. At first we presumed innocence, until working on this at the moment. and ideal values. Axel Springer had the goal of strengthening the value of freedom in its deepest and most encompassing sense, to an- chor it and to defend it, and hence to make our lives freer, more worthwhile and better. Everyone in the company can contribute to this.

On the keywords of freedom and responsibi- lity: How much does a case like that of the recently dismissed WELT editor Günther Photo: Max T hrelfall The interview in the Board Lounge: Mathias Döpfner, Tim Tolsdorff, Chief Editor of Internal Communications, and Anne Müller, Head of Change & Integration Communication

17 At the Place de la Répu- blique, the publishing house’s top management – here Jelena Drakulic- Petrovic, General Manager Ringier Axel Springer Serbia – remember the victims of the Paris terror attacks Summit to defend one of our greatest assets It is no coincidence that Axel Springer‘s Editorial & Management Summit took place this year in Paris. Business played a secon- dary role for the 80 participants, who talked about the company‘s values and remembered the victims of terror.

blue sky and bright sunshine: on the people of Paris, but an attack on the the weather on this Friday in Fe- freedom of the western world. To send out a bruary offered the best possible clear message against this threat and to show conditions for a fun weekend their solidarity with the more than 1,000 tripA to Paris. And yet the mood was marked people working for the Axel Springer family by sobriety as around 80 members of Axel in France, this year‘s Editorial & Manage- Springer‘s top management – among then ment Summit took place in Paris. The par- the CEO and numerous Chief Editors and ticipants spoke about the threat to freedom managers – gathered on the Place de la Répu- from religious and political extremism in Eu- blique at the heart of France‘s capital city rope. Marie-Laure Sauty de Chalon, CEO of in silent remembrance. Three months after aufeminin, stated that while Paris stood for the terror attacks on November 13, 2015, life, the city was still pretty shaken up by the and more than a year after the massacre in terrorist attacks. the editorial offices of the satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo”, the city still hasn‘t reco- Challenge for Europe vered from these events – and its mourning Emmanuel Macron, französischer Mi- for the victims is testified to by thousands of nister für Wirtschaft, Industrie und Digitales, candles. bedankte sich bei Axel Springer für das Zeichen The brutal attacks carried out by der Solidarität, die Veranstaltung in Paris aus- Islamist terrorists were not only an attack zurichten. „Dass Sie hier sind, ist ein Beweis,

0818 2/2015 Emmanuel Macron, French Minister of Economics, In- dustry and Digital demands a joint European agenda in the face of so many crisis spots

Marie-Laure Sauty de Chalon, CEO of aufemi- nin, talks about the day of terror in Paris and

Photos: F rank Zauritz says the fear is still tangible in the city Discussing the threat to freedom (from l.): Presenter Peter Huth, Yavin Gill-More, Maurice Lévy, John F. Harris and Tomasz Lis

dass es gilt, unsere Freiheit zu verteidigen“, ihre gesellschaftliche Verantwortung gemein- sagte er. Ob Flüchtlingsfrage oder Terrorismus, sam wahrnehmen sollten. Lévy unterstrich die ganz Europa stehe vor einer gemeinsamen Bedeutung einer klaren Haltung: Werte seien Herausforderung. Er forderte eine gemein- essenziell für Medienunternehmen. Passend same Agenda und gemeinsames Handeln. dazu kündigte Mathias Döpfner in seiner Ab- Die Bedrohung der Freiheit prägte schlussrede an (siehe Seite 26), dass es künftig auch eine von Peter Huth, Chefredakteur der für alle Mitarbeiter bei Axel Springer eine auf We must B.Z., moderierte Paneldiskussion, an der ne- den bisherigen Präambeln basierende interna- ben Maurice Lévy, CEO der Publicis-Gruppe, tionale Fassung geben soll, wodurch das frei- defend our auch Yavin Gill-More, CEO Yad2, Tomasz heitliche Werteverständnis von Axel Springer Lis, Chefredakteur NEWSWEEK Polen, und für die gesamte Gruppe Gültigkeit erhält. freedom. John F. Harris, Chefredakteur POLITICO, Am Abend dann hielt beim Summit teilnahmen. Gill-More berichtete, wie die Is- doch noch jene Lebensfreude Einzug, für die Emmanuel Macron raelis in einem Land überleben, das seit der Paris so bekannt ist: Die Teilnehmer feierten Gründung ständig Terror erfährt. „Terror ist mit knapp 200 Mitarbeitern aus allen franzö- furchtbar, aber er wird den Staat Israel nicht sischen Unternehmen der Axel-Springer-Fa- zerstören“, sagte er. milie. Döpfner ermunterte alle Anwesenden BILD-Herausgeber Kai Diekmann zu einem ausgelassenen Abend: „Denn das regte an, dass die Medien des Verlags, ob digi- Feiern ist auch ein Weg, um die Freiheit zu tal oder Print, stärker zusammenarbeiten und verteidigen.“

19 „ We’re all in

the same Visible high above Stadtmit- te even during dull weather: the LED display on top of Berlin‘s Axel Springer building declaring solidarity boat.” with colleagues in Paris: “Je suis Charlie” rank Zauritz(1), Picture Alliance(1) Photos: F rank Zauritz(1), Picture

Tomasz Lis, Chief Editor of NEWSWEEK Polska, Warsaw

In January 2015, I was with my daughter in Berlin. It was the day of the attack on the editorial team of Charlie Hebdo. I showed her Checkpoint Charlie, which is very close to the Axel Springer head- quarters. The words “Je suis Charlie” could be seen in large letters on the roof of the building. It is a sad paradox that, only shortly before, I had interviewed a journalist from Charlie Hebdo about the sad state of democracy in Poland. Only five months ago, we had been the poster child for Europe with a flourishing democracy and economic growth of 3.5 per- cent. And all of a sudden we are the black sheep of Europe – and As a journalist who speaks his mind, Tomasz not unjustifiably. A great deal has happened in Poland. We don’t Lis is confronted in Poland by government attempts to restrict freedom of the press have a constitutional system any more. Basically, the constitution is now nothing more than a piece of paper, because they managed to completely strip the constitutional court of its powers within a period of two weeks. Some people in the Polish media are already talking about “re-Polonization”. I even thing it is possible we will be hearing the following from the Polish government: “You don’t have a Polish newspaper in Berlin? Then we shouldn’t have any foreign newspapers in Poland!” Opinions like that are at least still reticent at the moment. Why? Because the government is scared. If it ever touched upon this subject, it would have serious problems in Brussels and in all other western capitals. That shows us that we are in the same boat. We are big enough to be a genuinely strong partner for Germany, France and all other European countries – and we are a vital component in the project that is Europe. So bear with us – we won’t fail.

0820 2/2015 Tanit Koch, Chief Editor MarIE-Laure Sauty de Chalon, BILD, Berlin CEO Aufeminin, Paris

In face of all the indignation about right- On the evening of November came more subdued, there were wing loudmouths and their snappy ac- 13, 2015, when Paris was the fewer visitors and tourists in the cusations of “the lying press”, one thing victim of those horrible terro- bars and restaurants. You could

is overlooked: they are using the wrong rist attacks, we were just about feel the change, it was real. “#Pa-

word. The press as a whole does not lie. to open our “Happy Happe- ris is about life” was the unmi- „ ning”, one of the biggest events stakable message in the famous to promote the participation cartoon that was everywhere in of women, to which we were the days after the attacks. Paris is Journalists expecting more than 6,000 about music, kisses, champagne women over the weekend. and fun. For us and for all Of course, we decided to of the women we reach are not cancel the event. Like with aufeminin, Paris everyone else, I was stands for freedom. shocked about what Freedom is the foun- educators.” happened in our city. dation of our lives, our However – and this not a rare occurrence In an email to the orga- convictions, of practi- – it does not always say what needs to nizational team, I wrote, cally everything we value be said. And that is just as dangerous for “We will be more united than in life. The Axel Springer Edito- journalistic credibility. ever before. We will not allow rial & Management Summit re- In 2010, when, on the basis of official terrorists to destroy our dreams minded us clearly that freedom statistics, we brought the headline “The or our way of life.” And while is not something to be taken for

bitter truth about foreigners and Hartz the terrorists will never manage granted. It was important to ex-

IV”, there was a great deal of criticism. Of to destroy our dreams, they have perience the passion of the 80 BILD. Not because integration of parts „ of the population into the job market has failed miserably. That was taboo. True to Morgenstern’s words, “That which must We must stand not, cannot be.” What was behind this taboo was the fear (eagerly seconded by the Press together.” Council) of many journalists managed to affect the way we in colleagues and friends from the that their words might en- Paris live our lives. Unlike after international Axel Springer fa- courage xenophobia. And to the attack on Charlie Hebdo, mily, who defend freedom eve- make sure that any possible when hundreds of thousands ry day in their work. We must risk is excluded, the public are took to the streets, all of a sud- stand together in life and in our patronized. And we have been den we were afraid. And this fear profession so that terrorists will paying the price for that for quite was tangible on the boulevards never have the chance to destroy some time now. of Paris. The city’s social life be- our dreams or the way we live. Journalists are not educators. Neither BILD, nor Spiegel make better human beings out of their readers. But we can turn them into informed citizens. That requires us not only to enjoy freedom of the press, but also to make use of it – by reporting in a way that serves an enlighte- ned society. It is sad that for many, New Year’s Eve had to happen in Cologne be- fore they understood that.

21 “What is our raison d‘être?” Freedom is a thing that connects all of our employees; it is the foundation un- derlying the values of Axel Springer. How every one of us can defend freedom and what role our corporate principles play was explained by Mathias Döpfner

in his speech in Paris, excerpts of which you can now read here. „ his is a special management confe- inely successful companies have a higher re- not journalists? The majority of people who rence. We have dedicated it exclu- ason for existing. This might be constructing work for Axel Springer are not journalists. It’s sively to the subject of ‘freedom’. the fastest and most attractive cars with the always been that way. Even in the 1950s and Freedom is the foundation upon most modern technology; it may be develo- 1960s. Back then, most of the people who whichT our company rests. Defending free- ping mobile communication devices with the worked for Axel Springer were employed in dom, to my mind, is what gives Axel Springer best design and the easiest handling. Or it the printworks, in sales or in the advertising it’s reason for being here. That might sound may be individual mobility, or networking – departments, or in classified ads – but not in overstated or even pathetic. But let me ex- but whatever it is, these companies pursue a our editorial departments. And that is why, plain it to you more clearly. certain objective and not merely the creation to my mind, our company’s reason for being It is my conviction that a company must here, cannot only lie with journalism. It has clearly define its purpose and its objective. to be more than that. Our publishing house What is it that brings all these individuals in informs people with journalism, and our the Axel Springer family together? A family journalism shapes the public’s perception of that is more like a patchwork family than a events in our society. It is the task of our com- traditional one. This family has a great many pany to be seen as a critical voice vis-à-vis the members. And they not only come from Freedom is institutions in society – whether in the eco- many different countries with different cul- nomy, the field of politics or in other areas. It tures and different customs. They also work the foundation is about putting citizens in a position to make in completely different business models that well-founded decisions, and as informed vo- range from traditional journalism to new di- on which our ters to influence and strengthen democracy gital offerings in the area of classified ads or and thus a society founded on freedom. marketing. company is built. To put it in a nutshell: we put citizens in a What brings us together? What motivates position to stand up for freedom. people to work for this company? I am con- If you look back at the initial years of Axel vinced that the reasons are not only econo- Springer, you will see that freedom was the mic. That it is not only about earning mo- most important thing to Axel Springer the ney. Of course, as a listed company, we are man. Traumatized by his experiences of the obliged to earn money for our stockholders, of material wealth. Second World War and the Holocaust, he to work profitably, to generate financial as- A genuinely successful company always has was driven by the concept of freedom. Axel sets. Business success is a prerequisite for our a reason for being - a corporate raison d’être Springer did everything to make sure that our company’s growth. And growth creates jobs that goes beyond merely earning money. We society would never be unfree, never be tota- – the second most important foundation for must ask ourselves: What is our reason for do- litarian again. With a clear stance, with the success. Only a company that grows and cre- ing what we do? Is it journalism in itself? And best possible journalism. ates jobs serves society. if it is journalism, what does that mean for all To express his thoughts more clearly, Axel But these two aspects are not enough. Genu- the people in our publishing house who are Springer developed our journalistic prin-

0822 2/2015 The Essentials – principles for the entire Axel Springer Family

The socio-political company principles formulated by Axel Springer in 1967, amended after reunification in 1990 and added to as a result of the 2001 terrorist attacks in the USA are an integral part of our company statutes. These Essentials are marked, however, in parts by the unique historical responsibility of the German people towards Israel. In view of the growing internationalization of our company, the Axel Springer Executive Board has decided, in addition to the existing principles, which remain in place for the employees in Germany, to introduce a variant in which not only the German, but also all em- ployees worldwide can find orientation. inside.mag has printed below the international variant of the Axel Springer Essentials in two languages, and these are valid with immediate effect.

1. We stand up for freedom, the rule of law, democracy and a ciples in 1967. They were amended for the united Europe. first time following German reunification in 1990. And only two days after the terrorist Wir treten ein für Freiheit, Rechtsstaat, attacks of September 11, 2001, we decided Demokratie und ein vereinigtes Europa. to expand them once again by adding a fifth principle clearly expressing our solidarity with the USA. For a company like Axel Springer, 2. We support the right of existence which was founded on the basis of freedom, happenings like the terror attacks in New of the state of Israel. York or Paris are of special significance. They Wir unterstützen die Lebensrechte Israels. are wake-up calls. Are we doing everything we can? I am convinced that everyone in our company can contribute something. 3. We demonstrate solidarity with That is why, when we were preparing the ma- nagement conference, we discussed our jour- The free values of the United nalistic principles in the Board. We came to sTates of America. the decision that they are still in keeping with our times. In fact, today they are more rele- Wir zeigen unsere Solidarität in der FreiheiT- vant and more contemporary than ever. But Lichen Wertegemeinschaft mit den Vereini- they have one great drawback: they are too gten Staaten von Amerika. strongly focused on Germany. As more than 50 percent of our employees and our turno- ver are international, we decided to adapt our 4. We reject political and religious principles accordingly. So that our employees who do not live in Germany also see them- extremism selves reflected in them. Wir lehnen politischen und religiösen I would like to invite the newer members of extremismus ab. our Group in particular to see these prin- ciples as something special. Freedom is not something to be taken for granted. The foundation of our free, tolerant and liberal- 5. We uphold the principles of a

minded lifestyle must be defended every free market economy and its single day. Pericles“ said, “The secret of social responsibility. happiness is freedom, the secret of freedom is courage. Wir setzen uns für eine freie und soziale marktwirtschaft ein.

23 10things, Where can you get the best you need burger in town? Which are the 42 bars in San Francisco you should visit before you die? to know Thrillist, the lifestyle portal for young men knows the answers. In September 2015, from Axel Springer purchased a minority shareholding in the ben lerer Thrillist Media Group and has since been the largest external investor in the start-up with its about head office in New York. Here are the most important facts about the company.

On his second trip to Berlin, Thrillist founder and CEO Ben Lerer is above all happy with the good exchange of ideas — especially with the colleagues from the BILD newsroom — about the opportunities presented by digital growth: “Axel Springer provides us with access to very smart,

Photo: Eike Mitte creative people who treat us like partners.”

24 1 give me excitement 3 How can I get a man on my side? The focus is on male millennials with a penchant College Buddies Appeal to his stomach! for consumption and a desire to experience some- The founders of Thrillist are Ben Lerer and That is the clear and successful concept 2thing in life. Which is where the portal gets its name Adam Rich, who met one another in college. of Thrillist. The media enterprise with its head – from the thrill of it all. After initial jobs in the hotel business (Lerer) and office in New York runs the lifestyle portal Thril- as a software engineer (Rich), the two decided list.com combined with daily newsletters and a to take the plunge and set up Thrillist in 2004. mobile app which recommend the best bars, And twelve years later they are still loyal to their restaurants and travel destinations in more than company: Lerer as CEO, Rich as Chief Editor. 50 cities in the USA and Europe.

Bigger, better, Thrillist A city The newsletter about and Los Angeles. And 200 to more than 250 the in places to go the Thrillist team have employees, and to guide in New York soon a lot in store for 2016 improve the website’s for guys 5 spawned new offerings as well. The aim is to functionalities and in Chicago, Boston expand from just under search tool. 4After returning to the city after col- lege, Lerer, a native New Yorker, felt he had to re-acclimatize to the US We’re not “ESPN” metropolis. Adam Rich, who grew The typical Thrillist reader is young, male and … up on the West Coast, was looking wait a minute! Much more important than age and for inspiration about the best way 6 sex is the characteristic attitude of a typical Thrillist There is more to life to spend time in the Big Apple. “We reader. It’s about fun, about enjoying life, get- than food and beer … weren’t interested in our mothers’ city ting out there and spending time with friends. guides, so we grabbed the opportu- “That’s why we reach a much more heteroge­­neous nity to create our own digital guide, audience than the sports broadcaster ESPN (US … which is why Thrillist is catering to an ever- one that spoke our own language.” sports channel, ed. note) says Lerer, “because broader range of topics: travel, health, cars, subjects like food, drinks and travel are things that technology, entertainment and dating are the everyone is interested in.” new sections being offered by the lifestyle portal to its readers. 7

Journalism or

advertising? 10Hotel 8 The main thing is, California Girls vs. BOYS Thrillist Not even worth mentioning at it’s good! Thrillist sees itself as a lifestyle brand for Thrillist – the sex ratio among its 9 people who want to experience some- When it comes to advertising, Thrillist relies readers is pretty balanced. Only thing. With large “Food Festivals”, the almost exclusively on native advertising in the editorial team do the men “Best Day of Your Life” parties or the – there are no banners. The agency, “The still have the upper hand (slightly). “Hotel Thrillist” event series, Thrillist Colab”, which specializes in native adver- However, it’s no comparison to the takes charge of things in hotels or entire tising and employs around 40 people, is starting-out days, when there were neighborhoods for a weekend. Just as practically a part of Thrillist and works in “27 men and three women in the popular with advertising partners from the line with the same high quality standards as editorial team.” consumer sector as with (paying) readers the editorial team. At the weekly topic mee- are the local events held for a wealthy tings, it is the data alone that show which target group. subjects are more popular among the rea- ders. The rivalry between the two teams is a deliberate ploy. 25 The great trek is under way: Axel Springer’s US expansion is up and running. Here the publisher is pursuing a clear digital strategy, while hoping to banish memories of the numerous German companies that have gambled on the land of boundless opportunity – and lost.

0826 2/2015 into new business areas is always associated with risks,” says Jens Müffelmann. “But I Limited potential in Europe am convinced that we have chosen the right But the westward trek promises gre- approach to the US business. We’re taking it I n February 2016, news agency ater success for Axel Springer. The Executi- step by step.” Reuters announced that flights from Europe to ve Board’s strategy of betting big on the US The company started laying the North America may take longer in the future. trump card arose ten years ago, when it be- groundwork for its US expansion early on. Researcher Paul Williams has discovered that came clear that the potential for growth in In 2006, Mathias Döpfner was appointed to long-term changes to the jet stream, the high Europe was limited. Since then, one thing the Board of Directors of media giant Time wind system in the atmosphere, could slow has become clear – the future of Axel Sprin- Warner. Three years later an exchange pro- down flights between Europe and the USA. ger lies in consistent digitalization, and in gram developed between Axel Springer Aka- This news may interest one Axel Springer em- conquering the Anglosphere. “The expansion demie and the prestigious Columbia Uni- ployee in particular – Jens Müffelmann, who versity. Thanks to Döpfner’s initiative, Jens has been President of USA operations since Müffelmann was able to buy into lodging 2015, and thus a regular passenger on flights exchange Airbnb in 2012 – Axel Springer’s between Berlin, New York and Silicon Valley. first investment in the USA. Shortly there- Following his success as COO of the Mar- after, BILD’s then Editor-in-Chief Kai Diek- keting and Classifieds division, Müffelmann’s mann, idealo co-founder Martin Sinner and focus has increasingly shifted toward the then head of Media Impact Peter Würtenber- New World, particularly since the takeover ger transferred to Silicon Valley for several of BUSINESS INSIDER. This major invest- months to familiarize themselves with the ment in fall 2015 indicates just how serious start-up philosophy there Mathias Döpfner and his Executive Board are We’re taking about expansion in the enormous US market. Innovation-friendly ecosystem After a lull in the 1990s, the USA is once it step by step Along with strategic findings, the trio again regarded as the land of boundless op- brought valuable contacts back to Berlin with portunity. Where once we heard tell of dish- in the USA. them. This led to a partnership with start-up washers becoming millionaires, today we accelerator Plug and Play in 2013. The US tweet tales of students cracking the big time Jens Müffelmann expansion of Bonial with an investment in with their start-ups. But it’s a dream that the Retale brand was followed in 2014 by the hasn’t always come true for German entrepre- establishment of permanent representation in neurs. Some local companies bit off more of Silicon Valley. Since then, Managing Director the New World than they could chew. Anton Waitz has been constantly expan-

27 ding his network of contacts among start-ups and technology companies while also sizing up investment opportunities. And successful- ly too – in 2014 the company hopped aboard the journalism start-ups OZY and NowThis. But what is it that makes the US market so attractive for Axel Springer? The first factor ding on a company’s state of development, is the sheer number of potential readers. joining up with other Axel Springer brands Huffington Post, the frontrunner among US may initially be more beneficial than imme- news platforms, generated 86 million unique diate foreign expansion. “Which means there visitors in September 2015. By comparison, are no standard solutions,” says Müffelmann. BILD.de, the German market leader in this Our brands should BUSINESS INSIDER, the publisher’s period, attracted 19 million users. largest US investment to date, offers a good Second, the publisher is attracted to cooperate openly. example of how all the elements of the stra- the innovation-friendly ecosystem that has tegy come together in a best-case scenario. produced global market leaders like Face- Jens Müffelmann Starting with a minority stake, in September book, YouTube and PayPal – and has dis- 2015 Axel Springer took over 97 per cent of rupted existing industries at a steady pace. shares. The first cooperations followed soon The most recent example is the auto indus- after, including integration into the BILD try. Dominated for decades by a handful of homepage and – in the other direction – the players and hampered by a sluggish pace of US website’s use of share data from finanzen. innovation, the industry is now under attack. net. In late 2015 the German edition went Google and Tesla are developing self-driving online, and in the first half of 2016 it is set to cars and environmentally friendly electric ry here is video content and distribution of expand into Poland. The cooperation partner motors – leaving the traditional manufactu- news through social media networks. Mar- for this move is Grupa Onet, one of the lar- rers looking like diesel dinosaurs. ket researchers expect millennials to spend gest media houses in the country, and part of around 200 billion US dollars on consumer the Axel Springer family. Trending: video and news items in 2017. Third is the key factor of demogra- And Axel Springer wants a share of Huge market for digital advertising phics. Research into population figures pro- this jackpot. Jens Müffelmann and his team In the USA, BUSINESS INSIDER duced highly encouraging results; around are responsible for making the right roll of the is active in a digital advertising market eight 35 per cent of Americans are classed as “mil- dice. Or rather DICE – that’s the acronym times larger than its German equivalent – lennials” – 15 to 34-year-olds. They have a for the US strategy, combining the compo- and it could grow three times faster by 2019. very strong digital affinity, with 90 per cent nents “develop”, “invest”, “collaborate” and Companies in which Axel Springer has held owning their own smartphones, 82 per cent “expand”. “DICE provides us with a frame- minority shares since 2015 – including the getting their news online. And the top sto- work for action,” says Müffelmann. Depen- lifestyle portal Thrillist and the news portal

The great trek: how Axel Springer is conquering the USA 2012 2013 2014 Axel Springer is building up its US business step by step – AIRBNB PIXLEE RETALE NOWTHIS OZY here is a concise In February Axel Axel Springer In October kaufDA Axel Springer In March the publisher Springer and lodging purchases a single- brings its business mo- purchases a minority takes a minority share in chronicle of the exchange airbnb.com digit percentage of this del to the US market. share in this start-up the online magazine for investments to enter into a strategic start-up which filters There customers can that produces short news and culture. Se- marketing partner- photos from social call up brochures from news videos for mobile ven months later comes date. ship, in the course of networks, recommen- local retailers – increa- usage as well as dis- a further investment which the publisher ding the best images to singly on smartphones tribution across social of 20 million dollars, purchases a small companies for marke- and tablets as well. networks. making Axel Springer number of shares in the ting purposes. the biggest investor in company. the company.

0828 2/2015 “Making contacts, generating ideas” Reaching Since 2014, the Silicon Valley Fellowship has allowed for the sky: BUSINESS Axel Springer employees to visit the California boom INSIDER region. Here Program Coordinator Nina Schimkus reports employees high above on progress to date – and explains the kind of applicants the New they’re looking for. York skyline

Elevator pitch: in 30 seconds, explain why the Silicon Valley Fellowship has been such a success. Am Geburtsort der Digitalisierung ein konkretes Projekt zu Mic.com – are also jostling for a piece of this bearbeiten, Kontakte zu knüpfen, Ideen zu generieren, einen huge market. The virtual reality specialists unserer wichtigsten Expansionsmärkte kennenzulernen, from Jaunt, meanwhile, are expanding a mar- die persönliche Weiterentwicklung aktiv voranzutreiben ket of the future. “Our sense is that VR could und Mehrwert für den eigenen Bereich oder das gesamte be a major driver,” says Jens Müffelmann. “So Unternehmen zu schaffen – das macht den großen Gewinn we’re glad that we managed to make an early des Programms aus. investment in this area.” Collaboration between the US brands Can you name a concrete achievement for the company is already under way – in the field of digital that can be traced back to the fellows? ad marketing, for instance, as a conference in The fellows have brought forth numerous achievements and innovations. New York in mid-February showed. “I want One of the most recent: BILD is the first news portal worldwide to use our brands to cooperate with each other Facebook Messenger as a journalistic news ticker. Mathias Meier, Head of openly,” explains Müffelmann. In Europe, Product Development at BILD, launched this service during his fellowship this is a well-established phenomenon, with after numerous meetings at the Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park. over 100 events per year. “Just as important as cooperation among US entities is coopera- Is the program only open to managers? tion with Axel Springer’s European activities.” Anyone from the Axel Springer family is free to apply. However, potential And that’s why Claudius Senst was broughtLIVINGLY MEDIA LOGO – STACKEKEDD (PRIMARY) fellows must be equipped with the “4 Ps”: a project idea that can be on board. “He has excellent connections wi- implemented, intensive preparation before setting off, the personality to thin the company, and he will be using this represent Axel Springer and the power to build on the full support of your network as Head of Business Development,” own manager and department. says Müffelmann. The groundwork for further growth What role do the US companies like OZY, NowThis, Jaunt and by Axel Springer has already been laid. As for BUSINESS INSIDER play for the fellows? Jens Müffelmann, he will still be jetting to Along with the “fellowship on the project” program described earlier, which the States regularly – even if the jet stream lasts between four and ten weeks, we are currently setting up “fellowship slows him down just a little. Luckily for LIVINGhim,LY MEDIA LOGO – HORIZONTAL on the job”, with a duration of at least ten weeks. This provides the oppor- atmospheric researcher Paul Williams can of- tunity to learn from our US cooperations, bringing in knowledge and taking fer a further prognosis – flights in the oppo- knowledge back home again. All our US companies are integrated in the site direction may become just a tad faster. fellowship program, in the past there have been concrete “fellowships on the job” with OZY, and now they’re joined by Livingly Media.

LIVINGLY MEDIA LOGO – STACKED (PRIMARY) – OVER DARK 2015

BUSINESS INSIDER JAUNT LIVINGLY MEDIA Mic.com POCKET THRILLIST In September Axel Axel Springer and aufeminin has taken In June the publisher Axel Springer expands In late September Axel Springer ups its invest- ProSiebenSat.1 Media over the digital publis- purchases shares in its early activities by Springer purchases a ment in the leading purchase minority her, which operates the New York news investing in the start-up minority share in the business portal to 97 shares in this start-upLIVINGLY MEDIA LOGOthree – HORIZON successfulTAL – OVER DARK platform Mic.com. The Readitlater, which deve- leading New York- per cent, to the tune of which specializes in the Internet offerings in start-up is primarily loped Pocket whose 17 based digital media 306 million euros. This production and distri- the areas of entertain- targeted at the 18- million downloads make company and lifestyle follows a nine per cent bution of virtual reality ment, fashion/beauty/ to-34 age group, or it the leading save-for- medium for male share in BI purchased content. style and living/interior “millennials”. later app. millennials. the previous January. design, with a 100 percent share.

29 An Optimist about Europe

Brussels is far away? European politics is boring? If that‘s the way you think, Matthew Kaminski has got a surprise in store for you. Intrigue, conflicts, careers – the Executive Editor of POLITICO Europe is very close to the people and the topics that influence the lives of all Europeans.

t‘s true, the people of Europe don‘t have much to laugh about journalist. He likes remembering his childhood in Poland. His parents these days. Matthew Kaminski knows that too. Images of bur- had a large circle of acquaintances, and they often had friends over ning refugee homes, the attacks in Paris, Brexit sessions in the with whom they would discuss politics and economics. His grand- British Houses of Parliament: “It‘s not fun to watch,” he says, father on his mother‘s side was a member of the Politburo. When “butI it‘s a great time for us journalists.” Kaminski‘s father started feeling less and less comfortable as an anti- Matthew Kaminski is Executive Editor of POLITICO Eu- communist in a Marxist state, his grandfather made it possible for rope in Brussels, which was launched in April 2015. Europe is his the family to leave the country. Kaminski arrived in the USA with his passion, his home. And so he has been fighting for many years for parents in 1980. They were given political asylum and began a new life the continent‘s good reputation. “A lot of people in Europe suddenly in Ohio and later in Washington, D.C. found Europe boring after the great enthusiasm of the 90s died down. But Europe just wouldn‘t let go of him. After studying History And yet our continent hasn‘t been this interesting since 1989, perhaps at the elite university Yale, he went on to do his Master‘s in Internati- not even since 1945.” onal Politics in Brussels and Paris. Following graduation, he worked in Matthew Kaminski was born in the Polish capital Warsaw in Kiev for the Financial Times and The Economist, before ultimately ar-

1971, the son of an anti-communist economics professor and a radio riving at the Wall Street Journal in Brussels in 1997. 2008 saw him in Photo: Max Threlfall

30 New York, where he worked on the editorial board When Kaminski, a father of two, talks of Journal. In October 2014, Europe came kno- about the political situation in his home country cking once again: POLITICO and Axel Springer Poland, there is also a sense of cynicism. “After all, wanted the excellently networked journalist - who they‘ve managed to destroy Europe‘s greatest suc- had won many awards and whose commentary cess story in only a few years. That‘s not an easy had made it into the final round of the Pulitzer thing to do.” Kaminski observes the constitutional Prize – for a joint venture. He didn‘t hesitate for a state under threat in Poland from the right-wing We asked: second when asked to take on the job as Executive conservative government with a growing sense of Editor of POLITICO Europe, Kaminski says: “I disquiet. “It‘s never a good sign when a country is What can you laugh about? had worked for traditional titles for many years. ruled by a man who doesn‘t have an official posi- People with humor. Newspapers like that have a historical superstruc- tion. And there is also a Minister President and a ture that goes back generations. What influence President alongside who are his marionettes.” And When was the last time you had to show courage? can one individual have there?” At POLITICO, yet, despite this, Kaminski believes in a better fu- At the inside.mag photo shooting. a start-up, as he calls it, he has been able to build ture for Poland. All the people who are now taking up something entirely new and breathe some of to the streets to protest against the government What do you like most about his own spirit into the title. More than anything are the ones that still want democracy. “And they yourself? else, he wants to convey optimism to his emplo- are in the majority. So the country still has the re- My humility. yees. Optimism in an industry where there isn‘t all mains of the successful, dynamic Poland that the that much good news. Kaminski doesn‘t believe world came to know in the 90s.” And what do you like least? that journalism itself is in a state of crisis. “We‘re Matthew Kaminski would like to see PO- My unbelievably good looks. just experiencing the crisis of a business model LITICO become the most important medium in What gets your hackles up? that is a hangover from the 19th century. That‘s the coming years for those who have dedicated Sloppy copy. something that Axel their lives to politics. The Springer has understood.” people in Brussels, Paris, Your favorite song is … He liked the fact that the London, Berlin or War- Something from Nina Simone. publisher invested in the saw should find out here digital future at an early better than anywhere else Your favorite book? stage and that it wants to Europe what is happening on the “In the Night Kitchen” by bring good journalism to European stage as a whole. Maurice Sendak. the public via new chan- The newsletter fleet from hasn‘t been Your favorite place in Brussels? nels. “At the newspapers I POLITICO in particular Forêt des Soignes. used to work for, the at- this interesting is to be expanded in the titude towards the future future. March, for exam- What do you dream about? of journalism wasn‘t that since 1989. ple, sees the launch of the Work. positive. The mood just new “Morgen Europa” wasn‘t that inspiring, and (Good Morning Europe) If you didn‘t work at Axel in an atmosphere like that newsletter, which will be Springer … it‘s difficult to stay enthu- communicating a Ger- … I‘d sleep. siastic.” man perspective on Euro- Who, to your mind, is a United Artist When you speak pean politics. at Axel Springer and why? to Kaminski, you can‘t help but noticing that Recently someone said of POLITICO Paul Ronzheimer. I met him for the first it‘s uncomfortable for him to talk about his own Europe that it is basically a “tabloid for the elite”. time in December 2013 in the Ukraine. strengths. But then he says with a cautious tone, That turned out to be the greatest compliment you It was at the beginning of Euromaidan. “I think I‘m pretty good at getting this positive could make Kaminski and his team. “What it ul- Although he hadn‘t been on location mood across at POLITICO.” The things that are timately shows is that we have managed to make for long, he knew just as much about important for him in journalistic work are decen- people interested in politics. We love the world of the actors and what was happening cy, precision and intuition. Florian Eder can cer- politics and we love the people in politics.” The- as experienced correspondents. And tainly confirm that. He is one of the editors who re are dramas, intrigues, conflicts of interest and his reports were smart, creative and courageous. has worked with Kaminski from the very begin- careers that don‘t end well, he adds. And these ning, building up POLITICO Europe. And today dramas play out on the unbelievably exciting stage the POLITICO newsroom in Brussels employs 45 that is Europe. “Could it get any better?” members of staff, a figure soon to rise to 67. A for- mer WELT editor, Eder appreciates above all the Theresa Rentsch was happy, more than open, inquisitive way his boss looks at the world anything else, to have met a real and at politics. “Matthew Kaminski doesn‘t work journalism optimist in Matthew Kaminski. In her young career, she has heard using rigid routines, but gets across the idea that phrases like “Journalism has its best years behind it” or it‘s fun to try out something new. He has a really “Nobody in the industry is earning money any more” way motivating manner.” too often.

31 A look into the future 2016 is the year of virtual reality (VR). The technology makes the user feel as if he or she is moving around in a virtual world. And it is set to completely change more than just the world of journalism. Whatever happens, Axel Springer is along for the ride … e continue until we are click. However, the video is even more im- shrouded in darkness. The pressive when watched through VR goggles torch throws a circle of – for example, the Oculus Rift or so-called light into the darkness and Cardboards, which turn your smartphone behindW us BILD reporter Paul Ronzheimer into VR goggles. When watched in this way, struggles breathlessly through the tunnel be- you really feel as if you were standing right neath the Iraqi city of Sinjar, which has been next to the reporters and walking through the completely destroyed by ISIS fighters. And city with them. we are there with Ronzheimer, in the middle Filming a video of this kind is com- of a crisis zone. Or at least that’s what it feels plex. The BILD reporters Ronzheimer and like. In reality, we are “only” part of a pionee- Claas Weinmann documented their journey ring journalistic project – a virtual reality vi- in Iraq using special cameras. “We worked deo report. with a GoPro Cube that takes six wide-an- The 360° video can be watched on a gle pictures at the same time. We also had a computer or smartphone. And the user can Kodak variant with us which combined two choose every single viewing angle by mouse- fisheye cameras: one up front, one at the

0832 2/2015 It was from this command post The Samsung Gear VR secured by reveals a new, virtual world sand bags in to the wearer. The current top the destroyed models among the Galaxy city of Sinjar that smartphones are inserted BILD reporter into the goggles Paul Ronzheimer provided material for his impressive 360° report from Northern Iraq A look into the future

back,” says Weinmann. “We used the Kodak week on the eight-minute video. “When you when things had to go fast. In one scene, we are filming a news report and then see the edi- were right at the front. You have to be speedy. ted video afterwards, you can usually distingu- Taking the time to set something up would ish the experience on location from the film,” have been fatal. Just one week later, a grena- he says. “But with VR, they both melt toge- de exploded at exactly the spot where we had The VR ther. You are catapulted right back to the real been filming, killing two people.” thing, because the VR experience is so much experience is so like reality.” Opportunity for journalism This presents opportunities for jour- The post production work in the of- close to reality. nalism. The new technology makes possible fices of the UFA film production company Claas Weinmann a completely new type of storytelling. BILD was less dangerous, but even more time-con- is already producing a VR video about every suming. This process, in which the different three weeks now and the number will increase camera perspectives are put together to make in the future. Kai Traemann, Head of Edito- up a 360° panorama, is referred to as “stit- rial Video & Sports Strategy, stresses however ching”. Four technicians worked for an entire that they do not intend to let VR degene-

33 This is how 360° videos work with Virtual Reality goggles

Current field Total surface of of vision the 360° videos

VR goggles

By turning and leaning his head, the wearer “moves” through the picture and de- cides on his angle of vision himself while the 360° is running

The 360° video from BILD was filmed in parallel by several cameras and later brought together on a computer Screenshot from the 360° report by Paul Ronzheimer on YouTube: using the control cross on the left, the viewer can expand the field of vision. The report is the world’s first journa- listic VR video that plays on a ship owned by the Greek coastguard.

Taking the leap into a new world It is not only reporters from BILD and WeltN24 who are opening up the door to virtual reality at Axel Springer – this new ground is also being embarked upon elsewhere.

Trip into the virtual world The kaufDA VR app Axel Springer has held shares With the Oculus Rift VR goggles, in the US start-up Jaunt since consumers can go shopping in a 2015. It specializes in the virtual space and look at products generation and dissemination without setting foot outside their of VR content. own front door.

Trade fair highlights in a 360° all-round perspective Right in the midst of it all instead of in front of a monitor: the editorial teams from AUTO BILD and COMPUTER BILD take their users with them to large trade fairs. While COMPUTER BILD reports from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, AUTO BILD is the first online auto-portal to present 360° videos from Geneva‘s Autosalon.

0834 2/2015 Corinna Strebel, Senior Manager Product Development Mobile He knows his way around virtual reality: Martin Heller from BILD.de, tests the Oculus Rift: the dinosaurs are much scarier when WeltN24 is one of the pioneers in VR projects at Axel Springer you wear a pair of VR goggles than they are on the monitor

rate to become an end in itself. “We don’t want The virtual experience is soon to have during filming. VR will not only play a big to overdo it with VR, but only use it where some new features added. “In March, we role in journalism. This year’s trade fair, the it really makes sense to do so, where there is will be releasing the first VR video in which Consumer Electronics Show (CES), left no something worth showing,” he says. “The you can open additional contents while the doubt about the fact that 2016 is the year of viewer should always have added value from it.” film is running,” Heller explains. “With the virtual reality. The VR goggles, Oculus Rift goggles on, you just have to look at certain and Gear VR from Samsung, both of which Seeing the world with different eyes points to pause the main film and open other are ready to go into series production, were WeltN24 is also already working windows. This is a technology that might be presented there. with virtual reality. Since the beginning of interesting for the integration of advertising,” June 2015, a team surrounding Martin Hel- he adds. Gadgets reinforce the illusion ler has completed around 35 VR projects, Since September 2015, Axel Springer In future, people will use VR to design dealing with a range of topics from the re- buildings, hold virtual meetings and reach re- fugee crisis to real-life videos made in tanks mote diagnoses. The illusion of a virtual envi- and bunkers in combat, as well as news re- ronment can be made even stronger by gad- ports that are simply meant to be entertai- gets. VR gloves make the wearer feel as if he or ning: in the middle of Carnival celebrations, VR is worth using she could touch virtual objects. In Hamburg, at the Holi Festival, at Christopher Street the start-up Lucid Trips is working on making Day or soaring above a dam in a cable car. in cases where a the dream of flying reality by hanging the user “VR is worth using in cases where a really in- wearing VR goggles in a harness and blowing teresting experience can be had, where there really interesting wind in his or her face. are strong images, strong emotions,” Heller Using the VR app from kaufDA is explains. “You see the refugee crisis through experience less complicated. Here they have developed different eyes when you are standing with our the first VR-based shopping assistant. “We journalist Susanne Dickel on the beach on can be had. see VR as a highly promising innovative tech- Lesbos, standing face to face with refugees nology that will be able to provide new op- who have survived a dramatic sea-crossing in Martin Heller portunities for the retail trade industry in the a dinghy, as if you were actually there your- near future,” explains Christian Gaiser, CEO self.” Heller is currently in Silicon Valley lear- of the Bonial.com Group. The assumption is ning more about how to work with VR. The that VR will assert itself on the mass market rules of film-making are being redefined to in the coming three to five years. some extent. “VR is closer to theater than it has been a shareholder in Jaunt. The Ame- It would appear that the future is at is to classic film-making techniques,” Heller rican start-up has developed its own VR our fingertips. says. “Cuts have to be something like the camera together with associated software Reiner Reitsamer is already curtain falling to divide up the different technology and it disseminates content via a struggling now to keep track of his scenes. The pace is also different; there can smartphone app. Axel Springer will use this own glasses as well as the numerous pairs of 3D-glasses he only be a few very definite camera move- cooperation in future to show productions has from the cinema. If he also gets hold of a pair of ments, otherwise the goggles user will start in the app. At the same time, the editorial VR goggles, his collection of eye-wear will soon rival to feel sick.” teams use the cameras from VR professionals Elton John’s.

35 How to survive a Shitstorm Welcome to an inside.mag tutorial! Today, Alfred Draxler, Editor-in-Chief of SPORT BILD, is going to be instructing you on how to fend off a digital flood of hostility and insults.

shitstorm is generally pre- our football. F*** (this was written in a few hours’ break from “Facebook” or dictable. In my case, one is full) you!” “Twitter”; every shitstorm blows over at A usually not very far off when Don’t worry – you can survive an some point. I speak my mind clearly to my 21,000 attack like this. However, you should But one thing is vital – you followers on “Twitter” about the 2006 avoid making nasty responses, as should never feel insulted and World Cup in Germany, or when I fore- they just stir up a “shit torna- delete your account. Cristia- cast an unusually positive outcome for do”. You might send your new no Ronaldo, for example, has the widely hated football club “RB Leip- friends a heart emoticon, but 110 million “Facebook” fans zig” (“Red Bull”). that wears you down eventual- and 40.5 million followers on In the case of Leipzig, the shit- ly as there are just too many of Alfred Draxler, “Twitter”. The social networks storm lasted for days and was quite spe- them out there. You could also Editor in chief have long been an important cial. The following comment (language, support those who are on your SPORT BILD tool in his marketing and com- language!!) got a high number of likes: side and hope that the followers then munication activities. For us journalists “The Red Bulls, Alfred Draxler, you dir- become too busy insulting one another. this is the real world we live in – and it’s ty bull wanker. You freaks are ruining However, the best thing is just to take a world where shitstorms happen.

A Tweet raises tempers: this comment on the happenings at RB Leipzig by SPORT BILD’s Editor-in-Chief triggered off a wave of digital outrage * “When I see RB Leipzig on TV: Proper * football, really good athmosphere. Busting more than the Traditional Club Lautern!”

36 Rumble on the Net tips on how to cope better with 5 troublemakers 1 Is it only criticism, or is it already a crisis? Not every piece of criticism, every comment or every opinion expressed in social media means there is a shitstorm ahead. It’s important to assess the situation carefully. It is generally helpful to have a pre-warning system here, and to observe and analyze the social media channels. 4 Stay cool Giving in or reacting to a shitstorm is 2 React fast not a sign of weakness. Say some- When you find yourself the focus of outrage, it thing about the situation, but remain is important to react quickly. An initial reaction calm and objective. Apologizing is should come at the latest within hours. also an option, but does not have to entail a justification or an explanation.

3 Answer using the same medium Dealing with communication emergencies requires clear rules. For example, always reply on the same medium in the same language. It is useful to have a 5 Wait for the shitstorm to pass communication guideline so that you can come up Deleting comments or even the shitstorm itself is with the right answer fast. not an option. Exceptions to this, of course, are comments that violate the law or attack other people personally. Otherwise, the main thing is to stay calm: the classic shitstorm mostly blows over within a week at the latest.

37 A call for techno- logical progress: Award-winner Mark Zuckerberg presented his vision for the future of commu- nications and the role of Facebook in a podium discussion with Mathias Döpfner Photo: Frank Zauritz

0838 2/2015 axel springer award Garden party for a brilliant founder On 25 February 2016, Mark Zuckerberg was in Berlin where he was awarded the inaugural Axel Springer Award. The unconventional evening took the 200 guests in the lavishly appointed Ernst Cramer conference room on a journey through the Facebook founder’s biography.

or an event honouring a digital giant, Mark Zuckerberg’s evening began on a surprisingly analog note. Mathias Döpfner got the 200 guests laughing as he read from the F current edition of the Axel Springer calendar, which has been published annually since 1952. Döpfner opened it to the entry for 25 February 2016, the day of the award. Which, as it happened, contained a maxim from Mark Zuckerberg. “This calendar was al- ready printed in August 2015,” said Döpfner – and thus long before anyone had the idea of honoring the “Facebook” founder with the Axel Springer Award. This, as the Axel Springer CEO explained, was a remarkable coincidence.

39 Photos: Daniel Biskup, Frank Zauritz Sought-after group picture on the red carpet: Mathias Döpfner, Priscilla Chan, Mark Zuckerberg and Friede Springer

Portrait of a special evening: amid birch trees and grassy stretches the guests journeyed through the biography of the award-winner

No less remarkable was the setting for the had already become one of the most success- licon Valley was primarily aiming to replace award. With a lot of work and plenty of ful entrepreneurs of our time at an age when humans with computers. “Facebook”, on the attention to detail, Creative Director Peter others are just starting out. Facebook, he other hand, encouraged mutual respect and Huth, the organizational team from PACE, continued, has established itself as a business the value of relationships. and set designer Pia Maria Mackert conver- platform and a fair partner to the publishing A video message brought us to the pre- ted the Ernst Cramer conference room into industry. “The Award is meant to encourage vious entrepreneurial generation. On an en- a copy of the roof garden at the “Facebook” “Facebook” to continue on this path and to ormous screen “Microsoft” founder Bill Gates headquarters in Menlo Park, California. “Fa- serve as an encouragement for a young gene- sent his greetings; like the “Facebook” foun- cebook has transformed and enriched our ration of entrepreneurs.” culture, while also posing new challenges,” said Mathias Döpfner, in reference to the The award-winner has helped polarizing public perception of the company, shape the Internet How the Facebook which is now among the most highly valued Zuckerberg, who attended with his roof garden came in the world. wife Priscilla, expressed his thanks for the award and his warm reception in Berlin. “This to Berlin Whiskey and karaoke journey started off small, when I set out to Axel Springer has long enjoyed good build “Facebook” because it was something Pia Maria Mackert, business relations with Facebook. You can see that I wanted to use at college. And it has set designer, that in cooperative ventures such as the jour- grown into a much bigger mission for the nalistic content published as part of “instant world, helping people to connect. It is really explains: articles”. And personal encounters further the an honor to be on this journey with so many exchange. Mathias Döpfner recalled his first of you and to receive this Award!” “When we spoke to Peter meeting with Mark Zuckerberg in 2006, and There were plenty of VIPs both in the Huth, we alighted on the fact what went down in the award-winner’s an- audience and lining up to shower the award- that Mark Zuckerberg is a big fan nual karaoke party in an Idaho whiskey bar. winner with praise. They took the audience on of the roof garden in the Facebook “We believed there should be an a journey through the entrepreneurial biogra- headquarters. So we decided to give award that was not just digital but also in- phy of Mark Zuckerberg. First on stage was the Ernst Cramer conference room ternational, and that rewarded entrepre- PayPal founder, tech entrepreneur and early the appearance of that garden. Ori- neurship,” said Mathias Döpfner. “We are Facebook investor, Peter Thiel. He pointed ginally I wanted to completely cover presenting the Award to Mark Zuckerberg out that the current Internet landscape was the space in turf. But that proved im- because, with Facebook, he has created the by no means a foregone conclusion in 2004. possible because the walls couldn’t most significant communication medium With “Facebook”, Zuckerberg had put people carry all that weight. But we mana- in a generation.” Zuckerberg, said Döpfner, at the centre of technology, at a time when Si- ged to lend the illusion of height in the space with mirrors.”

0840 2/2015 First the work, then the award: Mathias Döpfner conducted an exclusive inter- view with Mark Zuckerberg which appeared in WELT am SONNTAG, also picked up by BUSINESS INSIDER in Ger- many and the USA. Another version of this discussion, this time with Zuckerberg’s wife Priscilla, appeared as a world premiere in BILD am SONN- TAG – this was the couple’s first joint interview

der, he built a global company from nothing, VR goggles from Samsung – a cooperation more or less – and Zuckerberg is now step- partner to both companies – took guests on ping in his philanthropic footsteps by dona- a virtual flight over the rooftops of Berlin. ting his fortune. “This generation is applying Alois Knoll, professor of computer science at its entrepreneurial spirit, talents and energy to Technische Universität München, was there achieving goals once thought impossible, in- to illustrate the potential and limits of arti- venting new medicines, reducing poverty and ficial intelligence with Roboy the robot, who hunger, and making sure every child has an was a hit with the audience. Picking up on education,” said Gates. the theme, Mathias Döpfner and Mark Zu- ckerberg discussed the opportunities and Warning from Brussels dangers presented for society with artificial It fell to Martin Schulz, President of the intelligence. Zuckerberg also talked about his European Parliament, to sound the evening’s company’s relationship with journalism. “We note of caution. Schulz pointed out that it re- don’t make journalism, rather we give jour- mained to be seen whether Mark Zuckerberg nalists the means to contribute to a growing would be regarded by future generations as an social discourse.” entrepreneurial genius in the Thomas Edison mould, perceived as a great humanist – or as A unique gift an example of a heedless company driven by The evening for Mark Zuckerberg faceless technology. “Some people say that ended with an atmospheric party in the “Facebook” stands on the dark side of power,” publishing house’s Unternehmerclub, or said Schulz. He offered his congratulations on Entrepreneur’s Club. Before that, however, the award along with the wish for a produc- Mathias Döpfner had a very tangible sur- tive exchange between the company and the prise in store for the award-winner. A spe- EU, particularly in the area of data protection cial print edition, no less, of BUSINESS Image gallery and copyright issues. Nor did he miss the op- INSIDER – a true rarity, being the only portunity to criticise Facebook’s tax policies print version of the title ever produced. inside.mag presents the and its lack of control over hate speech on the This gift represented a symbolic arc – from finest moments of an social network. the age of the printed journalistic product outstanding award eve- A defining theme of the evening was to the present era when publishing houses the current technological mega-trend, virtual are also shaped by digital considerations – ning in the Axel Springer reality – a field where both “Facebook” and and the era, of course, of social networks Building, Berlin Axel Springer are hoping to make their mark. like “Facebook”.

41 California Dreaming Digital Birches, grass and sweeping views, with virtual worlds and a life’s work thrown newspaper delivery: At the in: 200 guests witnessed a very special award ceremony – “an evening for Mark end Roboy the Zuckerberg” in the Ernst Cramer conference room. robot deliver- ed the prize, a commemorative newspaper. Previously, the audience’s favorite ex- plained to the guests how to change a baby’s nappies

Premiere in the Ernst Cramer conference room: lush green grass transformed the confe- rence room into a roof terrace With Samsung Gear goggles, all of the guests – including Mark Zucker- berg, seen here with wife Priscilla Chan – enjoyed a virtual flight from the roof of the Axel Springer Building

The decor in figures

100 mirrors 135 square meters’ turf 81 Confident and on form, Eva cushions Professor of computer science Verena Müller was the presenter Alois Knoll used Roboy the robot for the exceptional evening to illustrate the potential and 23 limits of artificial intelligence armchairs180 spotlights 56 stools 700 meters’ cable

Business partners: The European 24 Sending his congratulations in a video head of Samsung, Young Hon birch trees message: Microsoft founder and Eom (l.) and UPDAY CEO Peter – single-handedly felled by set designer Pia philanthropist Bill Gates Würtenberger Maria Mackert in the Berlin district of Pankow

0842 2/2015 Investor Peter Thiel At the end of the underscored the award ceremony, Facebook founder’s the Athenäum enormous impact on Quartet of the the Internet Berlin Philhar- monic played the classic “Califor- nia Dreaming”

Award-winner Zuckerberg was clearly impressed by the original gift from Mathias Döpfner. Rather than the usual plaque or figurine, he received a unique, framed printing plate – with the front page of the evening’s commemo- rative newspaper axel springer award

Martin Schulz, President of the European Par- liament, underscored the political significance of the award. He believes that in presenting the Axel Springer Award to Mark Zuckerberg there is an opportunity to build a transatlan- tic dialog on a democratic, pluralist and fair

Photos: Frank Zauritz digital future

Universal boss Frank Briegmann (l. to r.), TV presenter Powerful women: BILD am SONN- A meeting of senior managers (l. to r.): Ralph Büchi, Pre- Johannes B. Kerner and entrepreneur Joachim Hunold TAG Editor-in-Chief Marion Horn sident of Axel Springer International, Jens Müffelmann, enjoyed the relaxed lounge atmosphere (l.) and CEO of Gruner + Jahr, Julia Axel Springer President USA, Rocket Managing Director Jäkel Alexander Kudlich and Axel Springer Supervisory Board member Rudolf Knepper

43 Company sports 2.0 “Fresh, pious, cheerful, free:” This motto from the father of German gymnastics, Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, remains popu- lar today – even if modern fitness fans are more likely to do “business yoga” or join a “bootcamp” class. More and more employees are using digital means to form training groups – making this counterweight to a stressful workday a chance to network as well. Our survey shows: In the Axel Springer family, “Company sports 2.0” is more popular than ever.

Boxing

“I‘ve been boxing since August 2015. What I especially like about it is that boxing combines concentration, strength and endurance, promotes body awareness and is a lot of fun. You can let off some steam and do a lot for your physical fitness at the same time.”

Saskia Otterstein Media Sales Trainee, Immonet, Hamburg Astrid Holste Head of Business Intelligence, Axel Springer, Hamburg

44 Company sports 2.0

Geri Keren Real Estate Director, Yad2, Tel Aviv

“Biking brings out the best in me, gives me a sense of relaxation and the perfect balance between fitness and happiness. Fortunately my hobby is a good fit with my work at Yad2. Some of my biking partners are colleagues and customers who share the same passion as me. Biking gives me the chance to spend quality time with them in a natural setting. To strengthen and intensify my relationships with custo- mers. I regularly invite them to join me in the annual Mountain-biking ‚Desert Challenge‘ in southern Israel.

Marco Horn Digital Collaborations at WeltN24, Berlin Fitness freak duo: “‚Today 8x800 at 4:15 clip. You?‘ – That‘s what Marco Horn (left) and running buddy Florian the messages in our ‚WhatsApp‘ group look like Klages, Managing when we‘re not running together. But we really Director Print for BILD and General Manager prefer to run together. An ex-colleague joins us of B.Z., satisfied after from time to time as well. We‘ve been running a run outdoors friends for five years now. Even Florian‘s move to the country doesn‘t keep us from pursuing our hobby. The hours-long training sessions provide a lot of time to discuss corporate strategy or talk Running about the two HSVs (Hamburg and Hannover Bundesliga soccer clubs). Running is sometimes a team sport as well: In the 2015 Berlin Marathon we crossed the finish line together.”

45 Anne-Laure Maire Editorial Manager Forme & Food, aufeminin.com, Paris

YOGA Judy Reuscher Senior Product Manager, kaufDA Bonial, Berlin

“After we got our own rest and relaxation room at Bonial, I got the idea of offering yoga classes there. Yoga instruction is a wonderful mix of powerful and dynamic sequences for stability both within and from the core, as well as lightheartedness – in short: the perfect physical and mental challenge that allows Anne-Laure Maire (r. back row) in her running one to take a break from day-to-day working life and do so- victory pose with six colleagues from mething to keep the rust off, and not just in a physical sense. aufeminin. Last year the team took part Moreover, networking and socializing are important for any in the 10K “Nike” women‘s run in Paris. company – in this class, people from totally different depart- ments meet and get to know each other.” “I personally have been training with a running club for four years. When spring rolls around, I also organize training sessions for my aufeminin colleagues and encourage the 25 members of my group to participate in bigger events – as a team or individually. I love running because I can feel the air, sun and wind around me so intensely and feel free while I‘m doing it.” running

Gergely Tóth-Császár Publishing Director Magazines, Ringier Axel Springer Hungary

“We founded our running club – called Ringier Axel Springer – in 2006 and began competing in races immediately. Over the years, more and more colleagues have joined our ranks. Nowadays, either individually or as a team, we take part in marathons in Vienna, Rome and Berlin and more than 45 other races. With great success: We‘ve won multiple medals in various catego- ries. Our goal: We want to create a friendly atmosphere, support each other in races and, of course, promote a healthy and active lifestyle.”

46 “For more than half a year now, we‘ve been able to work out in our own in-house gym. ‚No time‘ is no longer an excuse – the opportunity to do something for your body is just a few steps away. And it has first-rate equipment: rowing machines, tread- Sie nutzen begeistert mills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, pull-up bars and a power tower. das Angebot des In the big open space, we regularly do push-ups, squats and Axel-Springer-Be- triebssports in Berlin: burpees together with people from every different department. In Silke Böttcher (l.) mit addition, once a week some colleagues meet to go running, and zwei Kolleginnen beim schweißtreibenden regularly get together to play soccer as well. Zumba-Training

ZUMBA Mareike Bräuer Manager Portal Commerce, meinestadt.de, Cologne Julia Martius FITNESS Head of Portal Commerce, meinestadt.de, Cologne

Silke Böttcher

Editor, Service and Development, Berlin

“Fitness activities are a great way to switch off the many hours of mental work at the desk after a long day at work. And with Zumba, you‘re in a great mood within just a few minutes – the music and the movement have an immediate effect.”

“I‘ve been in the bootcamp class since April of last year. Our trai- HANNAH KÖHLER ner Oxana is a fitness model and Junior E-Mail Marketing two-time World Championship Manager, immowelt.de, Nuremberg silver-medalist – she knows how to push and motivate us. In her varied exercises, we train mainly using our own body weight and in short intervals. I love to go there every week because within a short amount of time, you get a very ef- fective whole-body workout and you can really give it your all at the end of a workday. And there‘s the pleasant side-effect that you get to know colleagues from other de- partments at Immowelt.” BOOTCAMP

47 “Good morning” Flashback from What were the most important events of the past three months? What are the names of the youngest members of the ever-growing Axel Springer family? And what new offerings have come on board? Find out all that – and more – below. The European edition of PO- LITICO launched the daily fi- nancial newsletter “Morning Angela Merkel opens Exchange” in February. The the Holocaust exhibition newsletter is issued in English initiated by BILD and covers topics along the intersection between the financial sector, po- litics and regulati- ons. April will also see the financial sector being ad- BILD Editor Kai Diekmann ded to the portfo- (l.) welcomed the Israeli lio of POLITICO Pro. Prime Minister (3rd from On March 7, POLITI- left) and his wife. Curator Professor Walter Smerling CO launched “Morgen Eu- With a sense of shows them round the ropa” (Good Morning Europe), exhibition humor: the daily newsletter for Ger- Florian man-speaking decision-ma- Eder puts togeth­ kers with a European focus. er the Florian Eder, Managing Editor Morning News­ A work from the exhibition: “Ein Frühling” (A Spring) by Karl Bodek und Kurt Löw of POLITICO and previous- letter ly EU correspondent for DIE WELT, presents his readers at he exhibition “Art from the Ho- in storage by the Yad Vashem Memorial. the start of every working day locaust” was opened on January The exhibition was initiated by BILD with information about politi- 26 by German Chancellor Angela and the “Stiftung Kunst und Kultur e.V.” T cal decisions being made in Merkel at the German History Museum foundation. Israel’s Prime Minister Ben- in Berlin. On exhibition are 100 works jamin Netanyahu and his wife visited the Brussels that are relevant for of art that were painted by concentrati- gallery of Holocaust works accompanied Germany. on camp prisoners under life-threatening by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, conditions. Until now they had been kept Friede Springer and Matthias Döpfner.

Long-term New goals on an anniversary: crossmedia project 5 years of Chancen: gleich! The Axel Springer Academy launched an elaborate long-term crossmedia If that isn’t a reason to party: the the 30 percent mark is getting closer. And project in December. With “Schaffen Chancen:gleich! project celebrated its 5th this year there is another project on the wir das?” (Will we manage it?), 17 anniversary in January 2016. The initiative agenda: for new recruitments and promo- young journalists are accompanying stands for more diversity in the company tions, a female proportion of 30 percent ten people in the middle of the crisis and for a more balanced ratio of men and should also be achieved at all levels of ma- for a year. These people are accom- women in management positions. At 28 nagement. The overall goal will be consi- panied all over Germany. They include percent, the goal of pushing the share of dered to have been achieved when the sha- refugees, dedicated helpers, a mayor, women in management positions to over re of female employees reaches 40 percent. a crisis manager, a doctor, a police offi- cer and some next-door neighbors.

48 Interview with Friede Springer: There is no power struggle On March 2, Friede Springer, majority shareholder in Henry Blodget, expands into Berlin’s Axel Springer SE, vehemently denied rumors CEO BUSINESS of a power struggle in her media house. Media reports INSIDER Scandinavia suggesting this were “nonsense”, she sta- and Poland ted in an interview with the German Press Agency (DPA). “I am very BUSINESS INSIDER is launched In Poland, Grupa Onet.pl, a com- much aware, of course, that I have on the Scandinavian market. pany belonging to Ringier Axel to make provisions for the time Business Insider Nordic is Springer Media AG, has taken when I am no longer able to take going online in cooperation with over the license for BUSINESS decisions myself”, the 73-year-old Swedish publisher Bonnier’s INSIDER in Poland. The offering explained. Naturally arrangements must economics magazine Veckans there will adopt the successful be made, she added, about who would then act in the Affärer. The offering is published approach taken by the US edition best interests of the company and its employees in ac- in English. Veckans Affärer takes of BUSINESS INSIDER, with a cordance with her wishes, and with the wishes of Axel content from BUSINESS INSIDER special focus on the particul­ Springer. “And it will be someone from the publishing in other countries and adapts arities of the Polish market. The house itself who knows how to run a company and who- this to fit local circumstances. It launch is planned for the first six se heart beats for journalism”, said Friede Springer. also produces its own content. months of 2016. Taking leave of plans to change the company structure New visions at Axel Springer In February, the board of Axel Springer SE announced Visoon Video Impact started work on January 11. The new marketer of that it had decided against transforming the company TV and moving images for Axel Springer and Viacom International Media into a partnership limited by shares (KGaA). The majo- Networks (VIMN) includes all the Axel Springer broadcasting stations in rity shareholder Friede Springer and the company are its offering: “Comedy Central”, “MTV”, N24, “Nickelodeon/Nicknight” and in complete agreement that the existing legal form as “Viva”, as well as other moving image and digital offerings from VIMN. a European Society (SE) is the better alternative for the The merger offers advertising customers a broader range as well as inno- company in the long term. Another thing that remains vative advertising solutions. unchanged is the goal of continuing the process of growth to become the world’s leading digital publisher. If necessary, other suitable options for generating capi- tal are to be made use of.

Long-term UPDAY: Premiere beneath N24 wins first crossmedia project the stars in Barcelona German TV Award

At the Mobile World Congress ly available and preinstalled on A premiere for N24: for the first time in its history, the from February 22–25 in Barcelona, all Samsung S7 and S7 Edge devices TV channel was awarded a trophy at the 17th awards Samsung presented its brand new in Germany, Britain, France and ceremony of the “Deutscher Fernsehpreis”. The smartphone. The trade fair was also Poland, and is fully integrated multimedia work “An der Grenze – 24 Stunden an den a premiere for Axel Springer’s new into the product experience as an Brennpunkten der Flüchtlingskrise” (At the border – 24 news platform UPDAY. Users were exclusive partner on the second hours at the hotspots of the refugee crisis) focuses able to get an impression of the homescreen. The new smart- in its reporting not only on the refugees, but also on application for the very first phones featuring UPDAY social media, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and time. UPDAY from Axel came onto the market on right-wing populists in Germany. Springer is immediate- March 11.

49 Markus Hohmeier, you are a project MY manager in content marketing at WEEK Axel Springer Corporate Solutions (providing communication ser- Markus vices for companies). What Hohmeier does a week in your life look like?

MONDAY Wednesday Tuesday One of the trees in the Axel-Springer-Passage On Tuesdays, we always meet up with has fallen over – nobody one another at the operative level. Have knows why. A day later it the texts for the Hypovereinsbank been released? Are the graphics okay? We was standing again. Other- The plane leaves at 6.20 in the also talk about the first version of the vi- wise the week starts off morning – off to visit the HypoVereins- deo “Erbrecht 2.0: Was ist zu beachten bank in Munich. We talk about our pretty much as usual. What beim digitalen Nachlass?” (Inheritance has priority? All the project law 2.0: What needs to be taken into strategy, and this is followed by a four- managers meet up for a consideration with digital estates?). The hour workshop about the upcoming quick exchange. Are there lawyer being interviewed has his office dossiers. I’m not running the meeting on Gendarmenmarkt with a view of the any bottlenecks, who needs support? I look after on my own – our journalists have German Church – a fantastic backdrop. Hypovereinsbank and Nestlé and there is a jour fixe brought a subject schedule and ideas In the afternoon we finalize the story- for infographics, checklists and video in the afternoon with the bank. I manage the call and board for the next video. get our content marketing project moving ahead. formats with them. This helps us make decisions fast. I land back in Tegel at 10 pm. So many miles for two appoint- ments, but a lot of things really need Thursday to be clarified directly with the people FrIDAY on site. Back in the office. Do we still need a photographer for the shooting in Frankfurt? How far have we come with the production of the Nestlé maga- zine? The team works well together, The weekend the layouts look good. And we made First of all, I enjoy a long lie in … Then the right choice with the illustrator. I’ve I skate a few rounds at Wilmersdorf Ice to meet up with a digital expert today, Stadium – that’s the only winter sport on as we need to improve our in-house Next week I’m in Hamburg at offer in Berlin, unfortunately. After an hour I’ve networking. Native advertising, content usually done 15km; it relaxes me and helps me the Online Marketing Rockstars strategy –these are the topics that come up with new ideas. On Sundays I explore conference. I’ll be meeting service concern our customers. the city’s west. A good tip: a visit to the Brücke providers and agencies there from Museum and then a plate of mussels with friends the digital area and I’m making in Berlin’s oldest Portuguese restaurant. If you appointments ahead of time. A little want to know its name, feel free to write me an organization, the calculation and email. the offer for a digital concept have to be ready by the end of the day.

Smartphone Tegel Water sport Mitte Bike Whatsapp Tablet Schönefeld Winter sport Ku’damm Car Snapchat

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