Press Release | Gütersloh, 01/10/2024

Bertelsmann Investments Sells Its Shares in DDV Mediengruppe to Madsack Mediengruppe

• Madsack strengthens its own journalistic offering with the acquisition
• Carsten Coesfeld: “Madsack Mediengruppe is an ideal publishing home for DDV Mediengruppe”

Gütersloh, January 10, 2024 – The international media, services, and education company Bertelsmann has announced the planned sale of DDV Mediengruppe to Madsack Mediengruppe. DDV, which publishes the “Sächsische Zeitung” newspaper, among others, has been part of the Group’s Bertelsmann Investments division since the beginning of 2022.

Carsten Coesfeld, Member of the Executive Board of Bertelsmann, Investments and Financial Solutions, says: “We are delighted to have found an ideal publishing home for DDV Mediengruppe in the Hanover-based Madsack media group. Madsack is one of the most successful and creative companies in the German newspaper market. I would like to thank all of our colleagues in Dresden for the many years of successful entrepreneurial collaboration, which was characterized by an unstinting willingness to embrace change. The new owner has everything it takes to continue the success story of the historic ‘Sächsische Zeitung’ and the company’s other activities.”

Thomas Düffert, CEO of Madsack Mediengruppe, adds: “We are continuing on our clear path of recent years at the same high pace: digitalizing quality regional journalism based on our publishing platform RND OnePlatform, and taking an active role as a partner in the continuing consolidation of the German regional newspaper market. DDV Media Group is already on a successful path with a great team and plenty of creativity. DDV’s entrepreneurial approach and its strong media brands are an excellent fit for our group. We look forward to the journalistic expertise of Sächsische Zeitung, which will further strengthen our RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland. Madsack’s DNA is journalism. We have no doubt that commercially funded journalism will continue to be a successful business model even in a purely digital world, which secures its independence into the future as well.”

DDV Mediengruppe is 60 percent owned by Bertelsmann Investments and 40 percent owned by Deutsche Druck- und Verlagsgesellschaft, whose stake is also being acquired by Madsack Mediengruppe. The acquisition is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company with 85.000 employees that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company generated revenues of €20.2 billion in the 2022 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. Bertelsmann aspires to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.

About Bertelsmann Investments
Bertelsmann Investments (BI) comprises Bertelsmann’s global venture capital activities as well as the Bertelsmann Next growth unit. The venture capital arm includes the Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) and Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) funds, as well as selected fund and direct holdings in markets including Europe, the United States, Brazil, Southeast Asia and Africa. The Bertelsmann Next unit advances the entrepreneurial development of new growth sectors and business areas, including digital health, mobile gaming and HR Tech. To date, around €1.7 billion has been invested in more than 400 innovative companies and funds through Bertelsmann Investments. Bertelsmann Investments currently holds over 300 active investments worldwide through its network of start-ups and funds.

About MADSACK Media Group
The MADSACK Media Group focuses on the future potential of regional and local media. The portfolio includes 19 newspaper titles (including the Leipziger Volkszeitung, Hannoversche Allgemeine, Märkische Allgemeine, Kieler Nachrichten) and their wide-reaching digital offerings. The regional Madsack's national media brand is the RedaktionsNetzwerk Germany (RND). Today, the titles of the MADSACK media group already have a good 230,000 digital-only subscriptions. In addition more than 140,000 subscribers receive the combination of e-paper and print. The total reach of the RND is over 90 million visits p.m. The group also includes various subsidiaries specializing in publishing services, as well as own start-ups and holdings in the areas of film and television production, digital business, mail and logistics, advertising and communication. Around 77% of the MADSACK media group is owned by numerous individual shareholders, around 23% of the shares are held by ddvg GmbH, based in Berlin.

About DDV Mediengruppe
DDV Mediengruppe GmbH & Co. KG is 60 percent owned by Bertelsmann Investments and 40 percent by Deutsche Druck- und Verlagsgesellschaft mbH. With well over 1,000 employees, the media company is one of the most important employers in the East Saxony region. As the publisher of Sächsische Zeitung and Morgenpost Sachsen as well as the online portals Sächsische.de and TAG24, it provides guidance, helps to shape public opinion, and is committed to the quality of life and economic development of the region. DDV Mediengruppe is also involved in a wide range of services with increasing success, and currently includes a tour operator, a postal service and a trade fair company.