After the Reichelt affair, can Springer boss Mathias Döpfner adequately represent the interests of German newspaper publishers? As President of the Federal Association of Digital Publishers and Newspaper Publishers (BDZV), this lobbying is his job – also at European level. The Funke media group from Essen takes a much clearer position on the issue than the other German publishers do. In a statement available to the SZ, she calls for Döpfner’s resignation as publisher president – and is now publicly threatening to leave the association.
The Springer boss passed through one two weeks ago report in the Financial Times been heavily burdened. The board should therefore tried at great expense to cover up Reichelt’s affairs. Döpfner had commissioned a lawyer with a counter-investigation, with investigations against those affected and alleged string pullers.
Nevertheless, Döpfner’s presidency was not an issue at the BDZV meeting in mid-February – and his role in the Reichelt affair is little more than a side note. Only the spark group had expressed criticism. For the group of publisher Julia Becker one thing is certain: “We do not consider the separation of the presidency and the person called for to be tenable. That is why we expect a change in personnel at the top of the BDZV.” One sees “the values that characterize every publishing house committed to journalism” no longer adequately represented. “We are also concerned that the credibility of the entire industry is at risk.” Funke had already threatened to resign at the association meeting. “We want to send a clear signal that something needs to change,” the statement said.
Funke is one of the largest contributors to the association and enjoys special rights
The membership fee in the BDZV is based on the circulation – and Funke with its twelve regional newspapers (including WAZ, Berlin morning post and Hamburg evening paper) is one of the largest contributors. The group also has special rights within the association, and the publishing group is part of the executive committee. An exit would be financially and symbolically significant – and a novelty at that. “As far as I can remember, no publisher that was represented in the presidium has left the association,” says a BDZV spokeswoman.
For the time being, however, the people of Essen seem to be counting on Döpfner’s resignation and further restructuring of the association. In a discussion paper, Funke had already called for a “structural reform process” and “the long-term merger of all media associations”. A project group is now to go through these proposals, the BDZV announced after the meeting. “The discussion about this should be open and without bans on thinking, especially on the future constellation at the top,” says Funke.
How it goes on? The BDZV is clueless
Most recently, the publishing house Madsack from Hanover surprisingly decided to take a symbolic step against Döpfner: A week ago, managing director Thomas Düffert resigned from his deputy position in the BDZV. In a statement, he indicated a loss of confidence. Madsack wants to stay in the association, but the cooperation with Springer boss Döpfner in the executive committee has ended.
In addition to Döpfner, three of the original four deputies remain. And there is a certain helplessness in the association after Thomas Düffert’s resignation. “The decision as to whether a successor will be named lies jointly in the hands of all major publishing groups that are directly represented in the presidium,” says a BDZV spokeswoman. When is that to be expected? “We do not know.”