Axel Springer CEO Mathias Doepfner steps boldly into the future of media

Interesting interview with the chief of Germany's Axel Springer empire by the Globe and Mail's Joanna Slater:
Excerpt:

"Axel Springer’s flagship publication is Bild, a tabloid offering a daily fare of provocation, insult and entertainment that dominates the German market. The company also publishes the highbrow conservative daily Die Welt and owns a portfolio of specialized websites focusing on everything from finance to sports to classifieds. It’s a partner or investor in a host of new media ventures, including Politico Europe, Business Insider and Mic.com.

"Like publishers elsewhere, Mr. Doepfner is trying to reduce the company’s reliance on print advertising and to boost revenue generated by digital media. Axel Springer has made big strides: digital products accounted for 60 per cent of the company’s €1.58-billion ($2.29-billion) in revenue in the first half of this year, up from 54 per cent in the same period last year. Especially promising are the classified-advertising properties under the Axel Springer umbrella, where revenue jumped 57 per cent in the first half."

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