Experiencing the World of Media

We recently went on some field trips as a class, which I think we all really enjoyed,. They gave us an interesting and insightful look into what it might be like to work in the world of media. For me, it was my first real experience inside a newsroom or print house, seeing media and journalism in action. First we got to visit TZ/Merkur, a well known print house in Munich.

I personally learned a lot from this trip, especially about TZ/Merkur how newspapers are created from start to finish, and the work that goes on behind the scenes in a press house. We had the chance to speak with several people working there, each giving insights into different parts of the process, yet I did note that on the day of our visit, the newsroom was quieter than usual due to a labour strike calling for increased wages. One fact I found really interesting was that TZ/Merkur was the second newspaper in Germany to receive a publishing license after World War II.

We also discovered the differences between various types of newspapers. In Munich, there are five daily newspapers in constant competition. TZ has a more politically focused perspective with the news it produces. We also talked about BILD, currently one of the most successful online newspapers. However, it was noted that BILD can sometimes have a specific opinion already created for them, limiting the diversity of opinions. The, “Süddeutsche”, is currently the paper with the highest views. The focus can differ from paper to paper but they all have the same challenge of making sure that they sell enough papers.

One thing I took note of was how much the internet has changed the news landscape. In the past, only royalty, like the king would decide what news reached the public. But nowadays there are no gatekeepers, anyone can share news online. While this creates freedom, it also places more responsibility on institutions to verify sources. A source at TZ mentioned that, “It’s our job to help people make sense of the big mess of information out there.”

I was also informed about how quickly news can change. One moment, the team may have a clear plan for the next paper, and by evening, everything can change completely. This change and fast paced environment is one of the challenges in media. I also found it interesting to learn that in Germany, anyone can become a journalist, as it’s not a protected profession, but yet the role of an editor requires at least two years of professional experience.

Its challenging to create a front page, as we all got to experience when creating our own front page. It can be challenging every day to try think of a few words that summarises a story well enough or sometimes only five letters.

We were also told that on slow days like Sundays when there is not much going on to write a story about, the paper sometimes has a prepared health subject story to write about, as a safety net, as they feel that people are always have an interest in their health.

We then discussed the differences between online and print media. One difference is the use of AI, as online media is increasingly using AI to edit and check facts, while print media still relies more on traditional methods. Another huge issue is space, in print, every word counts as you only have a certain amount of space to tell your story or deliver your news, but with online media, the space is endless! TZ/Merkur also works for 60–70 different websites, which is a huge network.

On May 20th, we visited the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) Print house, and it was another really interesting experience. We got a tour of the building and saw how newspapers are actually made. It was interesting to see the whole process in action, first hand. These machines run at 28 miles an hour which is very fast and are able to produce about 16 pages on each side of the paper rolls.

I thought it was interesting that SZ lets their readers decide their own opinion and political stance themselves and aims to present a wide range of perspectives. SZ also shared how they are adapting to the digital age. They recognise that their younger readers are willing to pay for content, as they already do for platforms like Netflix or Disney+, so It’s not a question of money, but more of convenience.

SZ has developed two mobile apps, the Green App, which functions as their digital newspaper system, and the White App, which is their homepage. The younger demographic aren’t interested in buying newspapers anymore, so SZ is developing digital systems, to appeal to them.

Overall, both trips were very insightful . It gave us a real sense into the media world today.