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Mathias Döpfner (archive photo): Dissociation in terms of content
Photo: Frank Rumpenhorst / DPA
The newspaper publishers have accepted an apology from the association president and Springer boss Mathias Döpfner to a controversial private WhatsApp message. The Federal Association of Digital Publishers and Newspaper Publishers (BDZV) announced this Wednesday after a regular meeting of the Presidium: »At the beginning of the meeting, Mathias Döpfner once again presented the creation and context of his private statement and confirmed his distancing and express apology. After a detailed discussion, the Presidium members found Döpfner's explanations and arguments to be correct by a large majority and accepted his apology. "
The head of the Axel Springer Group (»Bild«, »Welt«) had described the former »Bild« editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt as the last and only journalist in Germany who was still brave against the »new GDR government «Rebel. Almost everyone else has become "propaganda assistants". The US newspaper "New York Times" quoted the news in a report in October and made it public. Reichelt was released from his duties a few weeks ago in response to allegations that became known after research by SPIEGEL, the New York Times and the Ippen investigative team.
Springer then classified the content of the WhatsApp message as ironic.
There was criticism in the publishing industry, in some cases it was also expressed publicly.
Döpfner then expressed his regret in a letter to the publishers.
At the same time he asked for support "with the tasks of the association".
The association then announced that the Presidium would discuss the criticism of the SMS at the next meeting.
Discussion was not good for the association
According to the association, the committee stated at the meeting on Wednesday that it was undisputed that the discussion about "alleged attitudes and positions" of the president was not good for the association. The wording in the text message was of course unacceptable, the Presidium had unanimously committed to independent journalism as well as freedom of the press and freedom of expression. The BDZV also announced: "After the constructive discussion, this does not represent a reason to question the very successful work of the Presidium in recent years."
The "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" published an interview with Döpfner at the beginning of November in which the newspaper referred to voices calling for his resignation as association president and asking if he would resign.
The Springer boss replied, among other things: The association has achieved a lot, the most important things are still ahead of him.
At the same time, Döpfner said: "But if a majority of the members think that a very unfortunate formulation in a private exchange of views has made me a burden for the association, then I will of course accept that."
mamk / dpa