Ippen is considering publishing research on Reichelt

The Ippen media group is engaged in research by its own investigative team on the previous Bild editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt.

A publication is being examined.

Munich - The editorial team of the Ippen media group is examining a possible publication of research by its own investigative team on the previous

editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt.

Originally, the publisher had decided not to publish it for the first time, but some of the research results now appeared in an online report by

.

Markus Knall: "We can go into publication as the editorial team"

Ippen.Media general editor-in-chief Markus Knall told the German Press Agency on Tuesday: “After an intensive discussion in-house, we have reached the point where we as the editorial team can go into publication.

We are currently checking which aspects of the story can still be published and what the sources are.

That means: whether, when and to what extent the story goes out, we decide purely editorially. "

Knall said: "The

does not contain all of the material we had at the last week." The research is very complex and has been built up over months.

It depends on many different sources.

The focus of the research is on Reichelt.

Axel Springer: Julian Reichelt dismissed as editor-in-chief

On Monday, the media group Axel Springer announced that

editor-in-chief Reichelt had been relieved of his duties.

The 41-year-old is leaving the company and with it the most powerful and largest tabloid in Germany.

The background to this is new media research on Reichelt.

These tie in with earlier allegations from the spring.

At that time, Springer had initiated internal proceedings against Reichelt.

The core of the investigation were allegations of abuse of power in connection with consensual relationships with female employees and drug use in the workplace.

After the audit, the group decided to give Reichelt a second chance.

Reichelt case: Ippen investigative team wanted to publish research

The US newspaper

on Sunday in a long article about the media company, corporate culture and allegations against Reichelt. The Ippen media group had actually intended to publish its own research by the investigative team in Germany. However, at the instigation of the publisher Dirk Ippen, the company decided against it. The

also took up this fact

in its report.

The Ippen media group justified the move as follows: "As a media group that is in direct competition with

, we have to be very careful that the impression is not created that we want to harm a competitor economically." The tabloid

added: “The decision was therefore made to avoid any impression that we could be part of an attempt to cause such economic damage. With that the topic of a first publication of this research was off the table. "

The Ippen decision triggered criticism both internally and externally, and the research team wrote a letter to the management and the publisher.

The editors of the

(FR)

belonging to the group

, which would have liked to publish the research, also expressed their solidarity with their colleagues.

When asked whether the possible publication of the Ippen research had been discussed with publisher Dirk Ippen, Knall said: “I am delighted that we have Dr.

Ippen were able to convince how important it is that we as editorial staff can act freely and independently and that this topic is worth publishing. "

Image: Julian Reichelt no longer editor-in-chief - "as a result of press research"

Der

published parts of the Ippen research in an online report on Monday evening.

For example, it is about how Reichelt is supposed to have approached young employees.

Springer justified the step that editor-in-chief Reichelt had to vacate his post: “As a result of press research, the company had gained new insights into the current behavior of Julian Reichelt in the last few days.

The company investigated this information.

The management board learned that Julian Reichelt did not clearly separate personal and professional matters even after completing the compliance procedure in spring 2021 and told the management board the untruth. "

Markus Knall: "The investigative team is doing a great job"

The Ippen media group includes numerous daily newspapers in many federal states, including

,

 and

.

The newspaper network also includes the investigative team, which emerged from the former Germany team of the digital network

.

Knall said: “The team is doing a great job.” He added: “I have always supported the work and from the beginning I have spoken out in favor of the publication of the Reichelt research.” The work is important, “it is not for nothing that we plan the team brought into the group for around a year ”.

Knall also said: “Editorial offices need independence and freedom to do their work.

And that's what we're doing now. "