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Axel Springer: How the "Bild" should become a TV brand

2019-09-30T12:50:26.831Z


Springer and television - that was the story of an unfulfilled love for a long time. But now the company wants to expand its mass newspaper to the TV brand. The strategy: Live formats instead of classically produced content.



It was an eternal dream of Axel Springer, the publisher's television. Throughout his life, the founder of the media house sought to extend the power of its newspapers to television; In the end there was only consolation: The "Bild" is printed television. But now the dream is to come true. "Picture" becomes television. Springer wants to invest 20 million euros to make the tabloid into a TV brand, own transmitter not excluded. 18 hours of live television every day are planned, a separate broadcasting license is her.

If history happens in the future, elections are won and lost, royal babies are born, or "somewhere the earth quakes," people should turn on the TV and switch to "picture." The announced "Bild" boss Julian Reichelt this afternoon in the Berlin News Room of the editorial staff.

They had actually expected to hear news about the upcoming merger of "Bild" and "Bild am Sonntag", but Reichelt was worth little more than a few words. He knew about the almost "sacred autonomy" of both editors. In times of stable circulation this competition had made both leaves stronger, now they put on the unified force. Exact numbers, how many editors have to go, called Reichelt not.

"Today is not an easy day"

Only so much: 20 million euros will be saved in the future in "Bild", "BamS" and "BZ", somewhere the money for television has come from yes. All "image" titles, all locations are affected by the savings. Operational dismissals are not excluded, but are primarily voluntary. "Today is not an easy day," said the chief editor-in-chief, but in perspective "the most important day for the future of image". Reichelt continues: "We do not want a picture for Siechtum, but growth." He believes that "the best of the picture is still ahead of us."

In fact, not only since the entry of the financial investor KKR, but for some time now clear that "Bild" in the face of dwindling circulation and break-away ad revenue, the editorship in the long run can not get in the current size. From the TV plans hope Reichelt and the publisher now a new source of income. Ironically, in the mass medium of television, the mass brand BILD is barely represented. Since the beginning of April, the tabloid has its own channel at the Internet television provider Waipu.TV. On YouTube and on their own website, the reporters send more and more live reports and videos, even a live talk show is already there. But the TV ambitions did not reach further.

Admittedly, advertising revenue on television has also been declining for years, but "Bild" wants to take a piece of the smaller cake in the future. Already one percent of the TV advertising market, so the calculus, would mean millions of revenue. Only a few days ago, however, the Berlin Administrative Court had the livestream offers the "image" - this includes the video formats "The right questions", "live image" and the "Bild-Sport - Talk with Thorsten Kinhöfer" classified as licensured broadcasting, for it needs a broadcasting license. Springer had previously held against, for the new TV plans but the publisher will need a broadcast license in any case.

The news entertainment under the brand "image" should include more than just a few transmission formats, in the best case, a full coverage in cable TV can be achieved. From a TV station to classic style, the "image" people want to know but nothing: The cost of studios, OB vehicles and mask would far exceed the potential revenue.

It is therefore planned to professionalize the live broadcasts of our own reporters and to invest in technology and capacities. They want to make television, "that comes from the heart of our reporters," said Reichelt in the meeting. As an internal test was recently the live coverage of an eight-person "image" team from the Amazon region: The reporters not only supplied the "image", both printed and online, but reported in live video. Exemplary for Bild.TV are above all the US enterprises Vice and Vox. A cooperation with the sister brand World, which in 2013 swallowed the TV channel N24 and therefore already has experience in the TV business, do not have the plans of the image makers before.

The merger holds cultural explosive

Springer and the television - this is the story of an unfulfilled love. The publisher television became nothing. Since the merger with ProSieben Sat.1 burst Springer are repeatedly said to have ambitions on the TV business. This left only the acquisition of N24 - the station now operates under the brand "Welt". A recent attempt to merge with ProSiebenSat.1 failed just a few years after the first talks. But the influence and market power of television is well known to Springer.

With the new TV plans "Bild" would make in the future especially RTL and its news channel N.TV competition. There is a former "Bild" editor-in-chief, Tanit Koch, who was defeated in a power struggle with Julian Reichelt. Similarly, it probably now Marion Horn, the "BamS" -hefin go out. Horn is said to have spread optimism last, as far as the chances for an independent editorial department are concerned. But now it is clear: "BamS" will in future be absorbed in the editorial processes of "Bild" or, as some see it in the house, go under. There are apparently no more conferences for the Sunday paper.

It is therefore already clear that the merger holds cultural explosives. The network of cliques and considerations that permeates the "image" has always been a thorn in the side of Sunday people. Over the loud, shrill ruckus - from the ban on pork in a kindergarten to the refugee question - "BamS" liked to stay away. The "picture" was at Sunday colleagues as a dirty big sister.

Source: spiegel

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