Gabriele about the Börsenblatt paywall

Effective August 3, 2026, we will be gradually expanding the existing paid-content strategy for our trade publication, Börsenblatt. Going forward, a paid digital subscription will be required to access most online content.

This is our response to the general upheavals in the trade media market, driven by structural changes in advertising behavior—changes that have not spared Börsenblatt either.

We asked our colleague Gabriele what this transition means behind the scenes and how she set up the project. Here’s an update.

• When did you start preparing for the transition to the new subscription model?
  We've been working on this since the middle of last year. It's been a few intense months—from our initial considerations about whether a subscription model even made sense, how to implement it, and which service providers to consider, all the way through to its actual launch.
   
• Who made the final decision?
  Many people have helped shape this process. We made a point of gathering a wide range of feedback from a variety of media sectors. This allowed us to ensure that we didn’t overlook anything and to verify that our thinking was heading in the right direction.
  
  Throughout the entire process, our Managing Director, Meike Knops, and Börsenverein Managing Director Peter Kraus vom Cleff were closely involved in their roles as publishers, and of course we consulted with our shareholders. The actual decision to adopt the new subscription model was then made by the supervisory board of Börsenverein-Beteiligungsgesellschaft (BBG), which serves as the supervisory body responsible for the Börsenverein’s commercial subsidiaries.
   
• How did you organize yourselves for the project?
  The project touches on many areas of MVB: Editorial, Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, Product Management, IT Development, PR, Controlling, and, of course, our management team—not to mention external service providers. As the project manager, I brought together and coordinated the relevant colleagues so that everyone knows what needs to be done, by when, and in what form. Regular meetings and clear tool structures have helped us maintain an overview.
   
• What tasks still need to be completed by August?
  We’re currently working on some technical changes and simplifications that aren’t visible to our users but form an important foundation for what’s to come. There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes right now.
   
• What has surprised you the most so far?
  The tremendous commitment with which the colleagues involved are pitching in on this challenging topic. That really isn’t something to be taken for granted, because the project not only brings about a fundamental change for the industry but also directly affects our own processes and ways of working. The fact that everyone is so open to giving feedback and actively helping to move this shared cause forward also shows just how much trust there is within the MVB team. I really appreciate that.

P.S.: Our new subscription options will be available for online sign-up starting Monday, August 3, 2026; for Börsenverein members, the subscription model will begin on December 1, 2026. An overview of all features and an FAQ are available in advance here: www.boersenblatt.net/abo

• Lilly Ludwig on the twists and turns that led her open her bookshop
• Christina on Truth in Professional Journalism
• Franziska on media files in the VLB