Media: Funke introduces new management level for regional newspapers

At Funke, the balance of power is shifting: new publishers will in future be able to control editorial departments and digital business. This means a new management structure for the editors-in-chief.

Dortmund. The Funke media group is restructuring the management of its regional newspapers. On January 1, 2027, the group will introduce so-called publishers at five locations, the company announced. In the future, they would assume both journalistic and economic responsibility for the digital development of the respective newspaper titles. In the future, the publishers will lead the editors-in-chief and also act as second managing directors at the respective location.

With the new structure, Funke wants to shorten decision-making processes and accelerate the digital growth of its regional newspapers. Among other things, the publishers should be responsible for the editorial departments, further developing the media brands and driving the expansion of digital subscriptions. In the future, the current publishing directors will concentrate more on the print and e-paper business, regional marketing and other business areas.

“That’s why we put editorial resources and brand management at every location in one hand,” said Group Managing Director Christoph Rüth, who is responsible for regional media, in a statement. This reduces interfaces, speeds up decisions and makes the company faster in digital growth. The journalistic independence of the individual media brands also has the highest priority in the new structure, emphasized Funke.

Who will take over the new publisher positions

The new publisher positions will be established in North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia, Lower Saxony, Hamburg and Berlin. In North Rhine-Westphalia, Anne Krum takes over responsibility for the titles “Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung” (WAZ), “Westfalenpost” and “Westfälische Rundschau”. At the “Hamburger Abendblatt”, editor-in-chief Cordula Schmitz becomes publisher and at the same time sole managing director.

In Thuringia, Nils Kawig takes on the new role for the three regional newspapers. At the same time, he is moving from the “Ostthüringer Zeitung” to the “Thüringer Allgemeine” as editor-in-chief. In Lower Saxony, Kerstin Loehr will be publisher, and Anne Lena Mösken will take over the role at the “Berliner Morgenpost” when she takes office in January.

The editors-in-chief should continue to act as the public faces of their newspaper titles. According to the information, the overall control of the digital business remains with Carsten Groß as Managing Director of Digital Publishing. Together with Anne Krum and Cordula Schmitz, he will continue to develop the framework for the editorial strategy and brand management.

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