The editor-in-chief of “Spiegel” is leaving the news magazine.
(Photo: dpa)
Dusseldorf One of the most important media makers in Germany has to go: The previous editor-in-chief of the news magazine “Der Spiegel”, Steffen Klusmann, is leaving the Hamburg publishing house with immediate effect, the media house announced on Thursday evening. Klusmann’s successor is the previous “Spiegel” author Dirk Karbjuweit.
The 57-year-old Klusmann is quoted in the statement as follows: “Recently, management and I have all too often failed to reach agreement on crucial strategic issues – which has now resulted in my resignation.” In the past few months there have been repeated rumors of power struggles given to the head of the publisher.
The background to the departure should be disagreements with the “Spiegel” managing directors Thomas Hass and Stefan Ottlitz about the future strategy, the magazine “Business Insider” reported on Thursday morning. They are said to have criticized Klusmann for the lack of journalistic concepts. In the statement, Hass regretted “that in the end it was not possible to continue our always very good cooperation for the future”.
Editors are said to have written a letter of protest to management
According to “Business Insider”, Klusmann is said to have said goodbye to the editorial team in the editorial meeting on Wednesday, according to several participants. He is said to have spoken of having a good time at “Spiegel”. The media house did not comment on this.
The replacement of Klusmann causes uncertainty in the editorial team. Some editors are said to have tried to prevent Klusmann from being kicked out with a letter of protest to the management. “Replacing the editor-in-chief would not solve any of our current problems, such as the deteriorating business outlook. On the contrary, this would result in the whole house being paralyzed again for several months,” media services quoted from the letter.
Recently, management and I have all too often failed to reach agreement on crucial strategic issues – which has now resulted in my resignation. Press release “Der Spiegel”
Klusmann has been editor-in-chief of “Spiegel” since January 2019, having previously held the same position at “manager magazin”, which belongs to the “Spiegel” group. Klusmann performed differently than some of his predecessors, who were perceived more as prominent figures in public.
>> Read more: The entire editor-in-chief of “Bild” has to go
During his time, he brought together the print and online editorial team and worked on a digital subscription strategy. The merger also involved adjusting the pay for editors, who earned different amounts in print and online.
Klusmann seems to have succeeded in focusing on digital content: Despite difficult conditions on the advertising market, the “Spiegel” achieved an annual surplus of 42.8 million euros in 2022, almost matching the result of the previous year. Sales were 267 million euros. The digital offer expanded by Klusmann played an important part in this. The digital payment model “Spiegel +” now has 300,000 subscribers.
Klusmann took over as Spiegel editor-in-chief during the Relotius affair
Klusmann’s start as editor-in-chief was difficult, it fell into the time of the processing of the probably biggest scandal of the magazine: the affair about the forged texts of the hitherto celebrated “Spiegel” author Claas Relotius. Leading the editorial board during this period earned him respect.
Black numbers
42.8
Million Euros
The “Spiegel” achieved annual surplus in 2022.
Before joining the Spiegel Group, the native of Klusmann had been deputy editor-in-chief of “Stern” for a few months at competitor Gruner+ Jahr (G+J). His earlier professional positions included, with interruptions, his position at the “Financial Times Deutschland” since 1999. In 2004 he became editor-in-chief there. In 2012, G+J discontinued the newspaper.
Klusmann’s successor Karbjuweit must now ensure calm again at “Spiegel”. He wants to continue Klusmann’s impulses in the digital business. “I will take up the ongoing renewal processes of the editor-in-chief and develop them further in intensive discussions with my colleagues.” “Spiegel” co-managing director Ottlitz said that further brand profiling in the online payment strategy was important.
The 60-year-old Karbjuweit has worked for “Spiegel” for 24 years. Between 2015 and 2018 he was already deputy editor-in-chief. Since then he has been an author in the capital city office.
The departure of Klusmann underlines that the mirror is a difficult house to lead. He was the fourth editor-in-chief since 2008. At the end of 2021, Klusmann said in an interview: “When you accept the job, you should factor in the fact that you can quickly tear yourself apart at the top of ‘Spiegel’. Otherwise, out of sheer fear, you either do nothing or do everything wrong.” Where Klusmann could go in the future is not yet known.
More: Sales negotiations at Gruner + Jahr are ongoing – RTL sales collapse by nine percent