Gathering the world's knowledge

VBKI 2022 – Politik und Wirtschaft – Thema: Die Zukunft des Journalismus / Im Gespräch: Lorenz Maroldt (Chefredakteur Der Tagesspiegel) und Stephan Ruß-Mohl (Medienwissenschaftler)

Gathering the world's knowledge

The future of journalism - and how the Tagesspiegel wants to win it

In an interview with a practitioner of the future - Lorenz Maroldt from Tagesspiegel - and a theorist - media researcher Prof. Russ-Mohl - we took a look at the future of journalism.

The background to the event moderated by Ute Weiland - the designated VBKI Managing Director - is an ambitious project with which the Tagesspiegel aims to respond to current challenges and tap into new target groups. The visible change will be a relaunch of the print newspaper on November 29, 2022. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, departments and editorial teams have been completely reorganized, in the words of the Tagesspiegel editor-in-chief: "No stone has been left unturned."

With this step, the Berlin media house is reacting to the major changes in the media world in recent years. According to media researcher Prof. Russ-Mohls, the digital transformation, changing expectations and a loss of trust in the "fourth estate" characterize the playing field in which journalists operate today. In the past, the wrong course was set, and the general public in particular has become accustomed to being supplied with journalistic information free of charge. Putting the genie back in the bottle is extremely difficult for all media companies.

Lorenz Maroldt explained the standards by which the Tagesspiegel's journalistic content would be measured in future. Readers do not want to be presented with an opinion, but to be put in a position to form an informed opinion. We will therefore

make a promise of reliability. Many editorial offices are now dependent on chance in their reporting

move away from the focus on major events in its own reporting. Instead of jumping from major event to major event, the focus will be on topics that lie beyond the general focus

become more analytical in their journalistic approach, also to save readers' time. Less classic reportage, more background reporting

move away from the focus on major events in its own reporting. Instead of jumping from major event to major event, the focus will be on topics that lie beyond the general focus

In particular, the Tagesspiegel wants to give its readers access to expert knowledge. To this end, a comprehensive database of experts from all over the world has been built up over the past few years, which will make a significant contribution to providing a well-founded assessment of world events in the future. "We will gather the world's knowledge in the Tagesspiegel," said Maroldt. This knowledge will be presented both on the main stage of the daily newspaper, but above all as specialist information for specific target groups - for example with the help of the B-2-B newsletter "Background".

There will also be shifts in the prioritization of topics in the future. Business reporting in particular will be given significantly more space, both with a view to the national stage, but above all with a view to Berlin's economy. "We are approaching Berlin companies in a very targeted manner and telling their stories," said Lorenz Maroldt.

In the Q&A session that followed, the audience - around 70 members attended the event in person and a further 40 were connected online - peppered the panel with questions, for example on the topic of gendering. "We will use gender-neutral language less aggressively in future," said Lorenz Maroldt. Even though language is constantly evolving, he is against forcibly imposing a different language on other people. The issue of recruiting young talent was also discussed. In order to be successful as a journalist - which was no different in the past than it is today - you have to have one quality above all: Passion.

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