WEKA MEDIA PUBLISHING

What WEKA MEDIA PUBLISHING does

WEKA Media Publishing is a Munich-based German media company founded in 1998 that produces technology and photography content delivered across print magazines, digital properties, e-papers, mobile applications, and live events. Its title portfolio includes several established German-language brands: CHIP and PCgo in consumer technology, connect in mobile and telecommunications, Digital Photo, DOCMA, FotoHits, Photo Weekly, photoscala, and PP Photo Presse in photography and imaging, and Audio stereoplay in home audio. The company also operated the fotocommunity photography community platform prior to its transfer to Five Monkeys Media in May 2025. The customer base is horizontally segmented, serving general consumers and professionals interested in technology, imaging, and publishing across German-speaking markets. Revenue mechanics traditionally combine magazine circulation and subscriptions, advertising sales, digital advertising on owned properties, community monetization, and event-related income.

On October 2, 2025, WEKA Media Publishing was acquired by Five Monkeys Media GmbH, a younger Frankfurt/Oder-based media group founded in spring 2024 that is pursuing a roll-up of established German specialty-publishing brands. The transaction brings the WEKA title portfolio alongside falkemedia-partnered DigitalPHOTO and Mac Life titles under a single group that also operates Test Lab product review services and the connect conference. Five Monkeys had previously poached subscription expert Michael Zgolik from Hubert Burda Media, indicating a deliberate pivot toward subscription-led monetization across the enlarged portfolio. Post-acquisition, WEKA's operating activities, distribution, and marketing are integrated into the Five Monkeys Group structure, and the combined entity positions itself as a multi-brand, multi-channel German specialty publisher rather than a single-title operator.

Name

WEKA MEDIA PUBLISHING

Legal name

WEKA Media Publishing

Website

https://weka-media-publishing.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Munich-based German media publisher producing technology and photography magazines and digital platforms, including CHIP, connect, Digital Photo, and PCgo. Acquired by Five Monkeys Media in October 2025, it serves German-speaking consumers and professionals as part of the broader Five Monkeys Group portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Technology Media Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), All Other Publishers (513199)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership) (MPAJAMAD), Publishing Networks & Multi-Author Publications (MPACAIAG), Community-Integrated Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAI)

Keywords

• Technology magazine publishing
• Consumer electronics journalism
• Photography media publishing
• Print and digital magazines
• Online community platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Core offering

WEKA Media Publishing produces and distributes German-language technology, telecommunications, photography, audio, and consumer electronics magazines in both print and digital form. Its portfolio includes established titles such as CHIP, connect, Digital Photo, PCgo, Audio stereoplay, DOCMA, Smart Weekly, FotoHits, Photo Weekly, photoscala, and PP Photo Presse, alongside community platforms such as fotocommunity. Content is sold via subscriptions, single-copy sales, and advertising, with audiences ranging from general consumers to professional readers in Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CHIP: Technology magazine brand covering tech news, tests, and reviews
• connect
• Digital Photo
• PCgo
• Audio stereoplay
• DOCMA
• Smart Weekly
• fotocommunity
• FotoHits
• Photo Weekly
• photoscala
• PP Photo Presse

Products and services

• CHIP magazine Technology magazine covering tech news, product tests, and reviews for German-speaking consumer and professional audiences, distributed in print, e-Paper, and online editions.
• connect magazine Magazine focusing on mobile devices, connectivity, and telecommunications technology for German-speaking readers.
• Digital Photo magazine Magazine covering digital photography techniques, equipment reviews, and imaging workflows for hobbyists and professional photographers.
• PCgo magazine Magazine covering personal computer hardware, software, and broader consumer technology topics for PC users in Germany.
• Audio stereoplay magazine Magazine covering audio equipment, hi-fi hardware, and home entertainment products for German-speaking consumers.
• DOCMA magazine Magazine dedicated to digital photo editing, post-processing workflows, and image manipulation techniques.
• Smart Weekly Weekly technology publication providing timely coverage of consumer electronics and digital trends.
• fotocommunity platform Online community platform for photography enthusiasts to share images, comment, and engage with other photographers.
• FotoHits magazine Photography magazine focused on photo trends, techniques, and equipment for German-speaking readers.
• Photo Weekly Weekly photography publication providing regular coverage of photography news, techniques, and imagery.
• photoscala magazine Magazine covering the photography industry, including professional imaging, market developments, and industry events.
• PP Photo Presse Photography press publication covering news, trends, and developments in the German photography market.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Five Monkeys MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Five Monkeys Media acquired WEKA Media Publishing on October 2, 2025. This acquisition brought WEKA's portfolio under the Five Monkeys Group umbrella, expanding the group's magazine brand portfolio to include additional titles. WEKA Media Publishing became part of Five Monkeys Group's media holdings alongside brands like CHIP, connect, and others.
• fotocommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025Five Monkeys Media acquired the fotocommunity platform from WEKA as part of its expansion strategy. The fotocommunity is a photography community platform that was part of WEKA Media Publishing's digital assets before being transferred to Five Monkeys Media in May 2025.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hubert Burda Media: Largest privately held media conglomerate in Germany, publishing consumer magazines (Focus, Bunte, Chip variants historically) across multiple verticals. Comparable as a multi-brand German consumer magazine publisher with overlapping tech and lifestyle audiences, but operates at a vastly larger scale across many verticals beyond WEKA's focus.
• Axel Springer SE: One of Germany's largest digital and print media companies (Bild, Welt, Business Insider, Politico Europe). Comparable as a major German-language media publisher transitioning from print to digital subscriptions, though Axel Springer is far larger and operates news/politics verticals rather than tech/photography enthusiast content.
• Funke Mediengruppe: Major German regional newspaper and magazine publisher with titles across lifestyle, women's, and entertainment segments. Comparable as a multi-brand German consumer magazine publisher managing print-to-digital transitions in the same structural market.
• Bauer Media Group: Global magazine publisher headquartered in Hamburg with consumer titles across tech, lifestyle, and entertainment. Comparable as a multi-brand consumer magazine publisher with similar ad-supported and subscription revenue mechanics, though operates across many more countries than WEKA.
• Gruner + Jahr (RTL Group): Major Hamburg-based magazine publisher (Stern, Geo, Brigitte, Schöner Wohnen) owned by RTL Group. Comparable as a legacy multi-brand German consumer magazine publisher navigating the same print-to-digital transition as WEKA.

Direct peers

• Heise Medien: German tech publisher operating c't, iX, Technology Review (DE), Make Magazine, and heise online — the closest direct competitor to WEKA's CHIP and connect titles. Directly competes for the same German tech enthusiast audience via print magazines and digital platforms, making it the most comparable peer.
• IDG (International Data Group) / IDG Communications: Global technology media company (Computerworld, PCWorld, Macworld, CIO). Comparable as a multi-title tech magazine publisher serving enthusiast and professional audiences with similar ad-supported and subscription models to CHIP, connect, and PCgo.

Emerging players

• Future plc: UK-based global multi-brand consumer media company (TechRadar, Tom's Guide, GamesRadar+, photography titles). Comparable as a multi-brand tech and enthusiast publisher that has aggressively executed a digital subscription and e-commerce monetization playbook — a strategic reference point for WEKA's subscription pivot.

Regional players

• falkemedia Gruppe: German independent magazine publisher of DigitalPHOTO, Mac Life, and other tech/lifestyle titles. Already a strategic partner of Five Monkeys Media (announced November 2024), making it a directly comparable peer in the German photography and Apple-enthusiast magazine space.

Others

• Condé Nast: Global premium magazine publisher (Vogue, GQ, Wired, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker). Comparable as a multi-brand enthusiast and lifestyle magazine publisher evolving toward digital subscriptions and events, though focused on premium fashion/culture verticals rather than tech/photography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weka-media-publishing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WEKA MEDIA PUBLISHING