Topics & Speakers
At European Publishing, the best media makers in Europe present their strategies and talk about the future of the industry. These were the speakers in 2024.
Dinner Speech
Clemens Pig is chairman of the board of APA - Austria Press Agency (Vienna) and deputy chairman of the board of directors of the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA (Bern) as well as past president of EANA - European Alliance of News Agencies. In his current book "Democracy Dies in Darkness" he describes the future of digital media and information society in the age of Big Tech and artificial intelligence.
The future of the digital (dis)information society: from trusted content to trusted AI
What can we do to counter fake news and disinformation? Clemens Pig explains how fact-based quality journalism is becoming increasingly important as a coolant for the polarized, overheated opinion markets of social networks. especially if we manage to create a unique collaborative media ecosystem in Europe from editorial and artificial intelligence: from Trusted Content to Trusted AI.Clemens Pig is chairman of the board of APA - Austria Press Agency (Vienna) and deputy chairman of the board of directors of the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA (Bern) as well as past president of EANA - European Alliance of News Agencies. In his current book "Democracy Dies in Darkness" he describes the future of digital media and information society in the age of Big Tech and artificial intelligence.
How "Der Spiegel" uses AI for fact-checking
"AI doesn't write articles for us, we can do that ourselves," says Ole Reißmann plainly. The journalist with a recognisable penchant for the internet and technology on his CV has been Head of AI at "Der Spiegel" since the beginning of the year. Reißmann and his team of five people are responsible for the editorial team's and the publisher's AI projects. For example, the documentation department is working on AI-supported verification of simple facts. On the one hand, this is to give the documentarians more time for more demanding research, and on the other hand to better validate those articles that could not previously be checked by the fact checkers due to time constraints.In addition, "Der Spiegel" is experimenting a lot with AI. In one of these experiments, texts are turned into podcasts and then translated into Russian and Turkish. "We don't yet know whether the quality will be right in the end and whether there is a market at all, but we are certainly gaining experience," says Reißmann. In Vienna, Ole Reißmann explains what experiences "Der Spiegel" has had with AI so far and what the next priorities will be in Hamburg.
Develop or buy?
AI in Heise's corporate strategy The interface between editorial staff and social media has long been indispensable, although it also ties up a disproportionate amount of resources. Heise secured an intelligent AI application through a company acquisition and is now rolling it out across all media. Ansgar Heise explains what growth strategy the German media company is pursuing and what role AI plays in this.Ansgar Heise is Managing Partner of the Heise Group. In 2024, he was honoured by "kress" as "Media Manager of the Year".
AI already writes eleven per cent of articles
The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger media are very advanced when it comes to artificial intelligence. Eleven per cent of articles are already written by AI. The technology is also used to recommend texts, as well as for tagging, indexing and image editing. A dynamic paywall is used in sales. CEO Thomas Schultz-Homberg explains what experiences the media company has had with AI, what is planned next and why ChatGPT and co. are not being blocked.The use of AI at Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger and the strategy of CEO Thomas Schultz-Homberg are also the cover story of "kress pro" 1/2024. Read more here. CEO Thomas Schultz-Homberg and CPO Christine Schönfelder explain what experiences the media company has had with AI, what is planned next and why ChatGPT and co. are not being blocked.
AI and journalistic writing
What makes BILD and the language of the BILD newspaper distinctive
What journalistic writing must achieve in order to stand out from increasingly flawless AI-generated texts. Insights and findings are provided by BILD editor-in-chief Marion Horn and Peter Linden, author of the recently published DUDEN "Handbuch Stil".
AI for local TV news
"A lot of what we used to do manually is now done by AI," says Sascha Devigne. He is editor-in-chief of the regional TV station Studio 47 and is one of the pioneers of AI applications for TV news in Germany.Sascha Devigne reports on where the broadcaster is already using AI, what experiences the editorial team has had and what new projects are in the pipeline, using numerous practical examples.
Future indispensable AI skills of publishing companies
The ‘Axel Springer Academy of Journalism and Technology’ trains journalism students and tech students for the future of Springer media. The way in which the media group promotes the interdisciplinary knowledge of young people in particular and at the same time implements AI and AR projects is exceptional in journalism training. Ekaterina Schneider and Lars Moll present how the Academy passes on knowledge about journalism, data and generative AI internally and externally and what role AI also plays in further training for lifelong learning.Ekaterina Schneider is Head of Upskilling & Digital Training at the Axel Springer Academy of Journalism and Technology. At the beginning of 2023, she successfully introduced a comprehensive upskilling programme on generative AI at Axel Springer. This programme covers a wide range of topics, including introduction to generative AI and large language models, text-to-image, various tools, prompt writing, research and deepfake detection.
Lars Moll has been working as a media manager for Gruner+Jahr and Axel Springer for more than 15 years. Most recently, he was responsible for the digital offerings of ‘Bild’ and ‘Welt’. As COO of the Axel Springer Academy, he manages the tech programme, the upskilling offerings, strategic partnerships and the international knowledge network.
AI and generative language models:
How media companies are investing wisely now
Investment decisions relating to AI and generative language models are extremely challenging. Gerhard Kürner explains how media companies can shape their future in the current environment and at the same time avoid expensive investment ruins. He is considered one of the top experts in the field of AI. Kürner advises APA, Tiroler Tageszeitung, Russ Media and other media companies.Gerhard Kürner is Managing Partner of the Austrian software company 506.ai, which has been developing AI solutions for years.
From news agency to full-service AI provider
APA Editor-in-Chief Maria Scholl shows how one of Europe's most innovative news agencies is evolving from a news provider to a full-service AI provider for content processes and what the new APA newsdesk, the AI suite and a new editorial system have to do with it.Maria Scholl has headed the APA Editor-in-Chief since October 2023. Her work focuses on the digital and user-centred further development of the news offering and the creation of suitable AI-supported tools.
Lots of AI, zero print:
Shaping the future at a "hackathon"
Hans Dichand turned the "Krone" into Austria's largest newspaper with a national reach of more than 40 per cent. In the meantime, as with many other media, customers are ageing. And they are getting fewer. How can the next generation be won over? The "Krone" set 30 young people this task in a "hackathon". First of all: the printed newspaper did not feature in any of the concepts, but AI played a central role in practically all of them. Clara-Milena Steiner and Jennifer Kapellari show what conclusions the "Kronen Zeitung" drew and which ideas are now being pursued.Clara Milena Steiner is head of the political section of the "Krone" in Carinthia.
Jennifer Kapellari is editor of the "Krone" in Carinthia and presents the Tiktok channel for the "Krone".
Producing podcasts with AI:
Additional reach for your own content
Podcasts are very successful. However, for many editorial teams and publishers, production is difficult to manage. Apart from lighthouse projects, there is often a lack of resources and funding to expand the audio offering. The use of AI now makes this possible. Chris Guse from the Berlin podcast production company "BosePark Productions" shows how the creation of texts, the synthesising of voices and the hosting of the final episodes are automated and what role the editorial team can concentrate on. BosePark Productions has already successfully published over 200 podcast shows. These include numerous number 1 productions for clients such as Spotify, Der Spiegel, Suhrkamp Verlag or ARD and ZDF. The podcast "Free Hugs" with Anke Engelke and Riccardo Simonetti and the podcast for the ZDF foreign journal "Brave New World" with Katrin Eigendorf and Jagoda Marinić are currently being produced at BosePark Studios Berlin.
Why the "Jungfrau Zeitung" has discontinued print and banned ChatGPT
Until 2020, the Swiss "Jungfrau Zeitung" was published twice a week in print before publisher Urs Gossweiler switched the local subscription newspaper to purely digital distribution. In addition to the website, an e-paper with 40 pages is now published daily. The editorial team is no longer headed by an editor-in-chief, but by a daily manager. The Swiss publisher explains how the project is financed and why he has banned the use of ChatGPT.Urs Gossweiler is the publisher of the "Jungfrau Zeitung", which is now only published digitally in the Bern area.
The next big thing in publishing?
How WhatsApp channels are shaking up the industry
Short-term hype or new opportunities? Now that Facebook is becoming less and less important as a distribution channel, publishers are increasingly turning their attention to WhatsApp. This is because with WhatsApp channels, Meta has now created an opportunity to bring messages directly into people's most personal stream. Simone Wagner explains the strategy BurdaForward has already used to reach over one million followers with its channels and the initial lessons that can be learnt from practice.Simone Wagner is Director Publisher Network at BurdaForward and, with around 100 content cooperation partners, ensures a unique breadth and depth of topics on FOCUS online, CHIP.de and BUNTE.de
Trends in newspaper design + Europe's best multimedia editorial teams and their outstanding projects
More and more newspaper publishers are now running multimedia editorial teams. And they are doing exceptional work. De Volkskrant stands out with its sophisticated cross-media projects. Infographics are created digitally and in print to suit the channel. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung is increasingly focussing on news videos with animated infographics. The Financial Times uses satellite images to report on illegal oil shipments to North Korea. And Helsingin Sanomat documents Russia's invasion of Ukraine in impressive multimedia projects. Norbert Küpper shows which newspaper houses have mastered both the printed and digital channels remarkably well and are therefore role models for others. He also provides an overview of the print trends resulting from the European Newspaper Award.
European Weekly Newspaper of the Year
Editor-in-chief Philip Grassmann, Lisa Kolbe and Christian Bobsien from the art department present the concept and strategy of "der Freitag".
Unmistakable in print and digital
No junk food for quick consumption: the weekly newspaper "der Freitag" focuses on a clear, tidy and elegant layout and a "second look" at things. Background information, analyses and debates on current affairs characterise the paper and its online presence. A special feature of the layout is the varied use of illustrations. They emphasise key topics, debates and special editions. The original topics also create a distinctive agenda. In 2022, Freitag revamped its online presence and significantly expanded its digital offering. A new editorial design was introduced in June 2023. "der Freitag" is published in the Rhine format and is published in Berlin. The paid circulation is just over 25,000 copies. The team consists of 18 permanent members of the editorial team and 7 colleagues in the art department.Editor-in-chief Philip Grassmann, Lisa Kolbe and Christian Bobsien from the art department present the concept and strategy of "der Freitag".
European Newspaper of the Year
Dimitris Nikas, Design Director of "Naftemporiki" (GR), will present the redesign, the concept of the front and inside pages, the inserts and special editions.
A role model from the first to the last page
"Naftemporiki" is primarily dedicated to financial and economic topics and has a serious and elegant layout to match. The choice of fonts used, the page layout and the use of infographics are excellent. The design of the front page is extremely varied: sometimes there are large headlines and smaller illustrations, sometimes a large picture dominates and, in the case of special events, a photo is placed underneath and the headline on top. Large topics are presented on double-page spreads and often divided into different sections in order to present the content quickly and clearly. "Naftemporiki" is an exemplary business newspaper. Excellently arranged by a small team on a daily basis. "Naftemporiki" is a financial and business newspaper in tabloid format published in Piraeus, Athens. It is considered the most important daily newspaper in Greece in the financial and shipping sector. The newspaper has a circulation of 5,000 copies. It employs 25 editors, 5 page editors, 1 photo editor and 6 layout artists.Dimitris Nikas, Design Director of "Naftemporiki" (GR), will present the redesign, the concept of the front and inside pages, the inserts and special editions.
European National Newspaper of the Year
Anne-Marije Vendeville, art director of "nrc", will present the concept of Europe's "National Newspaper of the Year".
The tasks of multidisciplinary teams in the editorial department
With typography, photography and illustrations, "nrc" creates a convincing appearance: young, dynamic, future-orientated. The Dutch newspaper achieves a fresh and clear design on all channels - on paper as well as online, on social media and even podcasts. The continued existence of paper is also uncertain at "nrc". That's why digital first has become an even more important topic in the "nrc" newsroom this year. Enormous importance is attached to the formation of multidisciplinary teams. But how do you form such teams and how do you ensure that their visual identity remains visible everywhere? And incidentally, how do you manage to maintain high quality on paper in a digital newsroom? "nrc" is published in Amsterdam in tabloid format and has 298,000 subscribers. The newspaper employs 266 editors, 11 photo editors and 26 layout artists. In addition to the employed photographers and layout artists, there are also freelancers, without whose creative work the production would hardly be possible.Anne-Marije Vendeville, art director of "nrc", will present the concept of Europe's "National Newspaper of the Year".
European Regional Newspaper of the Year
Half of its circulation is already published as an e-paper, 80 per cent of tagesspiegel.de's reach is national and the chances are good that the print edition will also reach new target groups not only in Berlin, but throughout Germany. The printed "Tagesspiegel" is published in Berlin with a paid circulation of 100,504 copies, of which more than 52,000 are e-papers. With currently 9.2 million unique users (agof daily digital facts 04/2023, month March 2023), the website tagesspiegel.de is one of the top 10 news sites in Germany with the widest reach.
At "Tagesspiegel", the entire editorial team of around 300 people is responsible for both the printed newspaper and the digital offerings - website, newsletter, specialist briefings, podcasts, social media and app. This includes the two Heads of Visual Department, 6 people in the art department (online & print), 8 in the picture department and 6 in the layout department.
Editor-in-chief Christian Tretbar, Katrin Schuber and Manuel Kostrzynski, art directors and heads of the visual department, will present the "Tagesspiegel" concept.
After the relaunch: From full format to tabloid
The Tagesspiegel combines digital and print reporting through verticality: the print edition offers reliable information in a compact form, while in-depth analyses and specialist briefings provide specialised knowledge online. New connections between digital and analogue content have been created both online, e.g. through scrollytelling, and offline, through the integration of digital formats into the newspaper. This is intended to fulfil the different information needs of the readership.Half of its circulation is already published as an e-paper, 80 per cent of tagesspiegel.de's reach is national and the chances are good that the print edition will also reach new target groups not only in Berlin, but throughout Germany. The printed "Tagesspiegel" is published in Berlin with a paid circulation of 100,504 copies, of which more than 52,000 are e-papers. With currently 9.2 million unique users (agof daily digital facts 04/2023, month March 2023), the website tagesspiegel.de is one of the top 10 news sites in Germany with the widest reach.
At "Tagesspiegel", the entire editorial team of around 300 people is responsible for both the printed newspaper and the digital offerings - website, newsletter, specialist briefings, podcasts, social media and app. This includes the two Heads of Visual Department, 6 people in the art department (online & print), 8 in the picture department and 6 in the layout department.
Editor-in-chief Christian Tretbar, Katrin Schuber and Manuel Kostrzynski, art directors and heads of the visual department, will present the "Tagesspiegel" concept.
European Magazine of the Year
Editor-in-chief Horst von Buttlar will present the strategy of Europe's "Magazine of the Year" together with creative director Patrick Zeh.
Design as a central task for managing a media brand
Last year, "Wirtschaftswoche" worked intensively on the relaunch of its weekly print edition. "It's actually an anachronism, but we will need the printed core product for even longer," explains Editor-in-Chief Horst von Buttlar. However, the strategic approach was much more important, as design has a central role to play in the brand management of "Wirtschaftswoche" that goes far beyond the printed magazine. Ultimately, it is about reinventing the traditional brand. Design plays a part in ensuring that the balancing act between print and digital is successful. Above all, the aim is to attract paying readers. Wirtschaftswoche" has its editorial headquarters in Düsseldorf. It has a paid circulation of 86,000 copies, just over half of which are digital. The team consists of 70 permanent members of the editorial team and 13 colleagues in the art department.Editor-in-chief Horst von Buttlar will present the strategy of Europe's "Magazine of the Year" together with creative director Patrick Zeh.
Who determines the discourse?
What is the public sphere today? The media no longer have the privilege of being generally recognised as the public's navigator. They have lost a lot of trust among the population - due to social media, where influencers determine opinions and where concerted fake news actors repeatedly succeed in creating false narratives. Competition is growing from those who do not want to soberly categorise, but rather disinform. And it is influencing election results in favour of populists.How can we as the established media succeed in retaining the power of interpretation? How can we remain relevant and be heard by the public? How can we ensure that they continue to place their trust in us and consider us relevant enough to subscribe to us?
Anette Dowideit, deputy editor-in-chief of the non-profit media company CORRECTIV, shows ways out of the crisis of trust: Journalism that listens instead of lecturing; that no longer sees its role solely in providing information, but also in imparting media expertise; that involves citizens in the selection and implementation of research. And which also specifically addresses those who have already lost some of their trust in state institutions and established media. FOTO: (Credit: Ivo Mayr/CORRECTIV