Germany: Axel Springer reverses strategy, to launch free weekly
Posted by Lauren Drablier on September 12, 2008 at 9:25 AM
Axel Springer announced plans to launch a free weekly, Berliner Morgenpost Wochenend-Extra on 20 September.
Springer has been one of the most outspoken adversaries of free newspapers so this comes as a surprise shift in strategy.
The paper will be distributed in the Berlin area by Deutsche Post and will have a circulation of one million. It will contain articles from the previous week's Berliner Morgenpost, the paid Berlin paper.
Springer has been loosing young readers with their paid papers which is probably a main reason for the launch of a new free weekly. Springer's director Mathias Döpfner sees the free paper as an "appetizer" to buy the paid one.
Germany has been a paid-for newspaper only market up until now; could Springer's move spark a change in the overall German market? Springer's move could certainly cause other players to move into this field, other newspaper groups, such as WAZ, reportedly have funds available to launch free newspapers in the event of a move such as Springer's launch of Berliner Morgenpost Wochenend-Extra.
Sources: Newspaper Innovation
See also:
Germany: Why the lack of free dailies?
Germany: Axel Springer plans online expansion through acquisitions and new units
Springer has been one of the most outspoken adversaries of free newspapers so this comes as a surprise shift in strategy. The paper will be distributed in the Berlin area by Deutsche Post and will have a circulation of one million. It will contain articles from the previous week's Berliner Morgenpost, the paid Berlin paper.
Springer has been loosing young readers with their paid papers which is probably a main reason for the launch of a new free weekly. Springer's director Mathias Döpfner sees the free paper as an "appetizer" to buy the paid one.
Germany has been a paid-for newspaper only market up until now; could Springer's move spark a change in the overall German market? Springer's move could certainly cause other players to move into this field, other newspaper groups, such as WAZ, reportedly have funds available to launch free newspapers in the event of a move such as Springer's launch of Berliner Morgenpost Wochenend-Extra.
Sources: Newspaper Innovation
See also:
Germany: Why the lack of free dailies?
Germany: Axel Springer plans online expansion through acquisitions and new units
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![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.editorsweblog.org%2Fnewspaper%2F2008%2F09%2Fgermany_axel_springer_reverses_strategy.php&bodytext=<b>Axel Springer </b>announced plans to launch a free weekly, <i>Berliner Morgenpost Wochenend-Extra</i> on 20 September. <br /><br /><form contenteditable="false" mt:asset-id="847" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/336639.jpg"><img alt="336639.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/336639-thumb-200x129.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" height="129" width="200" /></a></form>Springer has been one of the most outspoken adversaries of free newspapers so this comes as a surprise shift in strategy. <br /><br />The paper will be distributed in the Berlin area by <i>Deutsche Post</i> and will have a circulation of one million. It will contain articles from the previous week's <i>Berliner Morgenpost</i>, the paid Berlin paper.<br /><br />Springer has been loosing young readers with their paid papers which is probably a main reason for the launch of a new free weekly. Springer's director <b>Mathias Döpfner </b>sees the free paper as an "appetizer" to buy the paid one.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2008/08/germany_why_the_lack_of_free_dailies.php">Germany has been a paid-for newspaper only market up until now</a>; could Springer's move spark a change in the overall German market? Springer's move could certainly cause other players to move into this field, other newspaper groups, such as WAZ, reportedly have funds available to launch free newspapers in the event of a move such as Springer's launch of <i>Berliner Morgenpost Wochenend-Extra.</i><br /><br />Sources: <a href="http://www.newspaperinnovation.com/">Newspaper Innovation</a><br /><br />See also:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2008/08/germany_why_the_lack_of_free_dailies.php">Germany: Why the lack of free dailies?</a><br /><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2008/07/germany_axel_springer_plans_online_expan.php">Germany: Axel Springer plans online expansion through acquisitions and new units</a><br /><br /><br /><br /> <div><br /></div>&title=Germany: <b><i>Axel Springer</b></i> reverses strategy, to launch free weekly){kind=link}
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