Politico's New Owner Plans to Grow Staff, Launch Paywall

[TexasTowelie]

BERLIN—Axel Springer SE plans to eventually put Politico’s content behind a paywall and immediately boost the political-news publisher’s head count by more than 10% once the German conglomerate’s $1 billion deal to buy the company closes, expected next week.

Axel Springer Chief Executive Mathias Döpfner said in an interview he expects to hire 100 people across the company’s management and editorial staff, which currently numbers 900 in the U.S. and Europe. He also laid out tentative plans for an international push—including intentions to publish in several different languages.

Mr. Döpfner said he plans to grow Politico’s footprint both in the U.S. and overseas by introducing new industry-focused products and services and by broadening the scope of coverage. He said he expects Politico’s main news offerings, now free, to go behind a paywall in the medium term.

He also said he expects Politico staffers to adhere to Axel Springer-wide guiding principles that have raised controversy at times at its German properties—though they won’t be required to sign a written commitment to the principles like employees in Germany. The principles include support for a united Europe, Israel’s right to exist and a free-market economy, among others.

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/politicos-new-owner-plans-to-grow-staff-launch-paywall-11634325249

As of 2021, the Axel Springer SE names "solidarity with the libertarian values of the United States of America" as one of its core principles on its own website.

[Walleye]

1. Well, it wasn't worth the price when I was reading it for free so...

[Alexander Of Assyria]

3. Yes, sir. Yet how many articles here are linked to a source now clearly linked to fascism?

Did the employment mandate also include a declaration by staff to drink Pepsi, not Coke?

[PortTack]

7. Ha! Isn't that the truth!!!!

[NurseJackie]

8. Amen! 👍🍸🍸

Nailed it! This may be the end of Politico.

[dalton99a]

2. They also bought Business Insider

[tulipsandroses]

4. I can't fault them. I've been a bit annoyed by how many sites have gone this route

But, I think it’s because we have all been f so used to thinking “the internet is free”.
Almost every thing we utilize is tied to a business. The goal of business is profit. Even if the business is something you are passionate about. I don’t have a problem with it.
I see more sites doing this in the future. You I don’t have a problem paying for the ones I really like

[blm]

5. Pro-fascists arming themselves for political advancement.

This is to control election outcomes in the US and Europe.

[Tomconroy]

6. I'm a reader of Politico. I find most of the stuff straight forward.

Obviously some disagree. Don't know what I'll do when they start charging. I guess it will depend on the price.

[NurseJackie]

9. Politico is trash. Who would PAY to read that crap. This will be a failure.

plans to eventually put Politico’s content behind a paywall

Who would PAY to read that crap. This will be a failure. (But all-in-all, I'm pleased to know that fewer people will read their garbage.)

boost the political-news publisher’s head count by more than 10%

Is this an indicator that they want to improve the quality? They'll soon find out that adding writers won't be enough. I expect that they'll need to cull the herd and get rid of some of the lazy writers who simply CUT AND PASTE campaign press releases.

It will be interesting to see what happens here:

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/politico/

[BannonsLiver]

10. Are they still saying DeSantis "won the pandemic."

[Cha]

11. TY for the news.. Politico's bias is

going Pay Wall.

[lpbk2713]

12. " ... by introducing new industry-focused products and services"

To me that says he will include more advertising AND put up a paywall.

He can keep it AFAIC.