In the German publishing industry there is apparently resistance against Axel Springer boss Mathias Döpfner. On Monday afternoon, the Federal Association of Digital Publishers and Newspaper Publishers (BDZV) held a meeting for the second time, at which new allegations against BDZV President Döpfner were raised in advance – and again the subject was little more than a side note. But now the large newspaper group Madsack is taking action: Managing Director Thomas Düffert was previously one of several deputies to Döpfner. According to SZ information, he surprisingly announced on Thursday evening that he was resigning from his post with immediate effect.
In a letter available to the SZ, Düffert explains his motives. It says: “It is clear that we as an industry only have the best chance of making ourselves heard if we work together in a spirit of trust for the benefit of all small and large newspaper publishers in Germany.” Thomas Düffert is alluding to the Döpfner cause, whose name he does not mention. His publishing group wants to remain a member of the BDZV. Due to the high circulation of the daily newspapers, Madsack will continue to be a member of the Executive Committee, which they intend to continue to exercise.
The Funke media group from Essen, on the other hand, had recently spoken out even more clearly against Döpfner’s presidency and even threatened to leave the entire association at the meeting at the beginning of the week. While Funke was initially ridiculed, now with Düffert’s resignation from the post of deputy, a tremor is looming in the publishers’ association.