Kasia Davies
Research expert covering the German market
The publishing industry in Germany - statistics & facts
It is widely known that digital media is becoming increasingly popular and consequently traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, and even books are purchased less frequently or even replaced by some consumers with digital alternatives. This is reflected in the declining number of members of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association. The publishing industry in Germany looks back on several centuries of history. To reach back to an event that revolutionized book printing and subsequently paved the way for mass publishing in Europe as it is known, Germany is the home of the Gutenberg press, a printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century.
Some of the best-known magazine publishers in Germany are Axel Springer, Hubert Burda, and Gruner + Jahr. Consumer magazines typically make up a large share of magazine sales and have a high reach. The print industry, however, is becoming less popular and replaced by online sources. Therefore, just like newspapers, the magazine industry has recorded a drastic decline in the number of consumer magazines published over the last five years.
In the publishing industry, newspapers and magazines have suffered the worst losses as their function has been replaced by social media for many. In an age when news breaks worldwide in minutes or even seconds, many people would rather not wait until a physical paper is published a day later to read about current events. Newspapers and even magazines, however, do verify and research thoroughly the information they print, creating a trust that social media cannot. Therefore, it may be too soon to say that this is a dying industry, it will simply have to evolve in a way that satisfies consumer expectations.
Book publishers
Among German fiction and non-fiction publishing houses, the three leading players were Random House, Carlsen, and Bastei Lübbe. Random House is part of the international publishing group Penguin Random House. In turn, it includes 47 other publishing companies and is among the most successful publishing companies on a national level in Germany. The Bastei Lübbe group is actually a media company existing in the form of a trade publisher. All three houses publish books in a variety of genres, as well as audiobooks, e-books, and other digital media, though Carlsen is known in particular for its children's and young adult literature. In 2022, the German book trade generated an estimated 9.4 billion euros in revenue.Newspapers and magazines
One of the challenges confronting the newspaper market and, consequently, publishers, is falling circulation, with daily newspapers suffering year after year. Thus, in order to continue generating profit, newspapers must come up with new ways in which to sell their content. A growing number of newspaper publishers in Germany offer paid content that is accessible online, this can include videos and sometimes even podcast episodes, as well as exclusive articles. Subscription models are also popular among news websites, where people pay a small monthly fee and can access exclusive articles.Some of the best-known magazine publishers in Germany are Axel Springer, Hubert Burda, and Gruner + Jahr. Consumer magazines typically make up a large share of magazine sales and have a high reach. The print industry, however, is becoming less popular and replaced by online sources. Therefore, just like newspapers, the magazine industry has recorded a drastic decline in the number of consumer magazines published over the last five years.
In the publishing industry, newspapers and magazines have suffered the worst losses as their function has been replaced by social media for many. In an age when news breaks worldwide in minutes or even seconds, many people would rather not wait until a physical paper is published a day later to read about current events. Newspapers and even magazines, however, do verify and research thoroughly the information they print, creating a trust that social media cannot. Therefore, it may be too soon to say that this is a dying industry, it will simply have to evolve in a way that satisfies consumer expectations.
