A media exploration in Munich——Süddeutsche Zeitung

Tuesday, May 20, 2025, sunny

As an international exchange student of the School of Communication and Media Studies at LMU, today’s journey is destined to be extraordinary. Sunlight penetrates the clouds and falls on the S-Bahn track. Not far away, a geometrically cut glass building reflects its luster. This is the headquarters of Suddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), one of the most influential serious media in Germany.

The person who was responsible for explaining to us and leading us on the tour that day was a handsome middle-aged man. He has been working at Suddeutsche Zeitung for more than thirty years. His witty and humorous explanation instantly gave me an impression of this enterprise as high-end, grand and sophisticated. Later, we all put on yellow warning vests and headphones, and entered the newspaper printing factory for a visit with a very professional and rigorous attitude.

That was the first time I saw how newspapers were produced. The huge machine was divided into several layers, each with its own division of labor, occupying the height of several floors and consuming paper as large as several football fields very quickly.

When a classmate asked about the positioning of our readers, Thomas straightened up and replied, “Our readers are highly educated decision-makers who are willing to pay for in-depth content.” This reminds me of the stratification of German media discussed in class – serious newspapers (such as SZ, FAZ) contrast sharply with popular newspapers (such as Bild). The former excels in political and economic analysis, while the latter relies on sensational headlines and celebrity gossip. Data shows that the average age of SZ readers is 65 years old. However, it is precisely this group of “silver-haired elites” that supports the high-end positioning of the newspaper. They not only purchase the print version but also continue their reading habits through electronic subscriptions.

Suddeutsche Zeitung is the newspaper with the highest operating income in Germany. Although their unit price is not low (4.2 euros per sheet), in my opinion, this is also the reason why Suddeutsche Zeitung can bravely face the electronic wave. Buying and reading Suddeutsche Zeitung’s newspapers, apart from obtaining the content, also has the meaning of showing off one’s social class and income. It is a cultural luxury for the upper class in a certain sense.

When leaving Suddeutsche Zeitung, each of us was given two newspapers – the original edition of Suddeutsche Zeitung and the latest edition of the day. This is of great commemorative significance to us. Now these two newspapers are still on my desk, adding some style to my life.

Student Xinyi Zhang