Südwestdeutsche Medienholding – from regional newspaper publisher to diversified media enterprise

Founded in 1908, Stuttgarter Zeitungsverlag became Südwestdeutsche Medienholding GmbH (SWMH), one of Germany’s most important media groups today. Aside from newspapers, which remain the group’s core business, SWMH is also actively engaged in the specialist information sector, and as a modern media enterprise, in digital markets.

Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany’s largest national broadsheet, belongs to SWMH. At its Stuttgart headquarters, important companies include the two rival publishers of Stuttgarter Zeitung (StZ) and Stuttgarter Nachrichten (StN), which compete for readers. Both newspapers exercise a major influence on the journalistic landscape of Baden-Württemberg and beyond. In all, 16 newspapers, more than 150 specialist information publications, 16 advertisers and many radio participations belong to SWMH.

Besides its core publications, SWMH is also represented on the market by a host of new products. The StZ and StN publish the restaurant guide “10 x 10”, the joint publication “Wirtschaft in Baden-Württemberg” is directed at managers and decision-makers in the southwest, while since 2013 young readers have en- joyed the Stuttgarter Kinderzeitung and Stuttgarter Kindernachrichten. The digital division has also launched successful product innovations on the market like the new web presentation and new e-paper apps for StZ and StN. Both newspapers enjoy steadily increasing circulations. Together, they record around two million “unique users” every month on websites and mobile services and are thus Baden-Württemberg’s strongest regional online news platform. The digital portfolio of StZ and StN has been substantially enhanced by an extension in the working hours of the editorial team and a new multimedia commentary division.

Aside from its headquarters in Stuttgart, SWMH and its staff of around 5,500 employees are spread across the country and the rest of Europe at more than 30 sites.