Schwäbisch Verlag

What Schwäbisch Verlag does

Schwäbisch Verlag, operating commercially as Schwäbisch Media (or SV Gruppe), is a German cross-media company headquartered in Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg, founded in 1945 with the launch of the Schwäbische Zeitung. The company has evolved from a regional newspaper publisher into a diversified media and services group operating across newspapers (Schwäbische Zeitung, Nordkurier, Zollern-Alb-Kurier, Südfinder and associated weekly titles), regional television (Regio TV as Germany's largest regional TV group), radio (stakes and ownership in Radio 7, Radio Seefunk, and Neckaralb Live), digital news portals (~60 million monthly visits), magazines, and tourism booking platforms (bodensee.de, meckpomm.de). The group runs over 100 locations across 8 German federal states with approximately 4,000 full-time employees plus 5,000+ part-time and minor-employed workers (of whom ~5,200 are delivery personnel in the Merkuria logistics subsidiary), and operates from a GmbH & Co. KG legal structure under the name Schwäbischer Verlag GmbH & Co. KG Drexler, Gessler.

The technology stack centers on two offset printing facilities (Druckhaus Weingarten and Druckhaus Neubrandenburg), a cross-media publishing platform integrating print, digital, TV, radio, and e-commerce operations, an internal shared-services architecture across SV Technologie (IT and cyber security at four hubs including Berlin), SV Dialog (subscriber customer service), SV Medienproduktion (typesetting and graphic design), and SV Vermarktung (B2B/B2C marketing), plus the 20,500+ sqm good-stock fulfillment center for third-party e-commerce logistics and online personalization platforms such as Print Royal. Distribution is anchored by the largest newspaper logistics network in Baden-Württemberg through Merkuria and Südmail letter/parcel services.

The revenue model combines recurring B2C newspaper and digital subscriptions (Schwäbische Zeitung 144,000+ daily copies, Zollern-Alb-Kurier 20,000, Nordkurier 40,000, Südfinder ~497,350 weekly), advertising sales across newspapers, weeklies, TV, and radio, transaction fees from tourism and personalized-gift e-commerce, professional services from B2B fulfillment/logistics and Amtsblatt municipal publishing (>50 cities via Druck + Verlag Wagner), and event/catering revenue from the Ravensburg media house. The go-to-market blends direct field sales for B2B advertisers, municipal clients, and fulfillment contracts with self-serve digital subscription platforms for consumers and a network of distribution channels spanning physical home delivery, online portals, broadcast, and owned booking sites. The company does not publicly disclose financial results.

Name

Schwäbisch Verlag

Legal name

Schwäbischer Verlag GmbH & Co. KG Drexler, Gessler

Website

https://schwaebisch-media.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Schwäbisch Verlag (Schwäbisch Media) is a German private cross-media group operating newspapers, regional TV and radio stations, digital portals, e-commerce fulfillment, and last-mile logistics across 8 German federal states from its Ravensburg headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Media & Cross-Media Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Commercial Printing (2750)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Subscription & Fulfillment Services (Print & Digital) (MPAJAKAB), News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

Keywords

• Regional newspaper publishing
• Cross-media advertising sales
• Regional television broadcasting
• Newspaper logistics services
• Ecommerce fulfillment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ravensburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Print Media Sales: Daily newspapers including Schwäbische Zeitung (144,000+ copies), Zollern-Alb-Kurier (20,000 copies), and Nordkurier (40,000 copies). Weekly newspapers, local editions, and classified advertising.
2. Digital Subscriptions & Advertising: Online portals generating approximately 60 million visits monthly, including schwaebische.de and regional digital platforms. Digital advertising, e-paper subscriptions, and premium online content.
3. Broadcasting & Radio: Regio TV as Germany's largest regional TV group reaching approximately 5 million viewers. Radio operations including Radio 7 (44% stake), Radio Seefunk (20% stake), and Neckaralb Live (100%). Advertising revenue from broadcast media.
4. Logistics & Fulfillment Services: Logistics operations through Südmail and Merkuria for mail, newspapers, and parcel delivery. Fulfillment services through good-stock fulfillment center with 20,500+ sqm warehouse space for B2B and B2C e-commerce clients.
5. E-Commerce - Print Royal: Online store selling personalized photo gifts including photo pillows, mugs, lighters, and phone cases through an online configurator.
6. Printing Services: Two printing facilities (Druckhaus Weingarten and Druckhaus Neubrandenburg) producing newspapers using offset printing technology. Approximately 2 grams of ink per newspaper.
7. Tourism Portals: bodensee.de (Lake Constance booking portal) and meckpomm.de (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern accommodation portal with 30,000+ listings) generate revenue from accommodation bookings and tourism services.
8. Shared Services: Internal shared services including SV Kaufmännischer Service, SV Technologie, SV Dialog, SV Medienproduktion, and SV Vermarktung providing financial, IT, customer service, media production, and marketing services to group companies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Schwäbisch Verlag / Schwäbisch Media is a cross-media house that publishes regional daily newspapers (Schwäbische Zeitung, Nordkurier, Zollern-Alb-Kurier), the Südfinder weekly advertising paper, and digital news platforms, while also operating Germany's largest regional TV group (Regio TV), radio stations (Radio 7, Radio Seefunk, Neckaralb Live), and travel portals (bodensee.de, meckpomm.de). Beyond media production, it sells advertising across print/digital/TV/radio, runs e-commerce fulfillment through good-stock, personalized photo gifts via Print Royal, newspaper and parcel logistics through Südmail and Merkuria, offset printing through SV Druck, plus event services and municipal bulletin publishing through subsidiary brands such as Druck + Verlag Wagner and cm city media.

Product overview

Schwäbisch Media is a multimedia media house operating as a platform-plus-modules architecture with diverse product portfolios. The core media offerings include newspapers (Schwäbische Zeitung, Nordkurier, Zollern-Alb-Kurier with combined daily circulation of 200,000+), digital platforms (schwaebische.de with ~60 million monthly visits), broadcasting (Regio TV as Germany's largest regional TV group, radio stations Radio 7, Radio Seefunk, Neckaralb Live), and magazines. The Business division includes printing services (SV Druck), tourism portals (bodensee.de, meckpomm.de), food services (Mediencafé, Herr Grünfink, Schmaus & Braus), and shared services (SV Technologie, SV Dialog, SV Medienproduktion, SV Vermarktung). Logistics includes südmail for letters and parcels, Merkuria for newspaper delivery, and the Fulfillment & E-Commerce segment offering good-stock fulfillment centers and Print Royal e-commerce. Additional specialized services include SV Event for event management, cm city media for digital municipal communication, Lighthouse for home entertainment, mooove.media for video production, and Eurotape for media digitization. The company operates as Schwäbischer Verlag GmbH & Co. KG Drexler, Gessler (SV Gruppe) with approximately 4,000 employees at 100+ locations across 8 German states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Schwäbische Zeitung Flagship daily newspaper of Schwäbisch Media, founded in 1945; the largest regional daily newspaper in Baden-Württemberg with daily circulation of over 144,000 copies, seven newspaper titles, and 19 local editions.
• Nordkurier Daily newspaper based in Neubrandenburg with 13 local editions and circulation of approximately 40,000 copies, produced through the Druckhaus Neubrandenburg printing facility.
• Zollern-Alb-Kurier Daily newspaper based in Balingen with a tradition of more than 170 years, serving the Zollernalbkreis region with approximately 20,000 copies daily.
• Südfinder Weekly advertising newspaper (Anzeigenblatt) with a circulation of approximately 497,350 copies, making it one of the largest advertising newspapers in Germany.
• Regio TV Germany's largest regional TV station group comprising Regio TV Schwaben, Regio TV Stuttgart, and Regio TV Bodensee, with a technical reach of approximately 5 million viewers in Baden-Württemberg and parts of Bavaria.
• Radio 7 Private radio station operating with a 44% ownership stake, one of the three largest area broadcasters in Baden-Württemberg and market leader among private radio stations between Alb and Bodensee, Schwarzwald and Allgäu.
• Neckaralb Live Pop Rock Radio station (100% owned) broadcasting since January 1, 2016, serving the Reutlingen, Tübingen, and Zollernalb regions from the studio location in Reutlingen.
• Radio Seefunk Radio station (20% ownership stake) broadcasting to more than 500,000 listeners from Leutkirch to Lörrach, with studios on Lake Constance, 13 FM frequencies, DAB+ in Baden-Württemberg, and digital streaming via smart speakers.
• Südmail Letter and parcel logistics service provider offering a diverse service portfolio around letters and smaller packages, with particularly high delivery quality standards across Baden-Württemberg.
• Merkuria Delivery and logistics service provider with 70 years of experience delivering Schwäbische Zeitung and other national press titles, operating with approximately 5,200 employees as the largest newspaper logistics provider in Baden-Württemberg.
• good-stock Fulfillment Fulfillment center providing professional B2B and B2C fulfillment services, handling the complete logistics chain from order acceptance, storage, picking and packing to shipping and returns, with over 20,500 square meters of warehouse storage capacity.
• Print Royal E-commerce company offering personalized photo gifts such as photo pillows, mugs, lighters, and phone cases through an online configurator on its own e-commerce storefront.
• SV Druck (Offset Printing) Printing facilities in Weingarten and Neubrandenburg producing newspapers including Schwäbische Zeitung and Nordkurier using offset printing, with an ink consumption of approximately 2 grams per newspaper.
• mooove.media Cross-media video communication production company based in Stuttgart, Ulm, and Ravensburg producing image films, livestreams, TV spots, social media videos, explainer films, product films, recruiting videos, and 2D and 3D animations for corporate communications.
• Eurotape Digitalization, restoration, and post-production services provider offering complete in-house workflow including 6K wetgate scanning, 4K DCI color grading, restoration, audio processing, accessibility versions, subtitling, DCP creation, and broadcast/physical media preparation.
• Lighthouse Home Entertainment Independent home entertainment company managing over 1,200 film rights in German-speaking markets, covering the complete film product lifecycle across digital and physical retail channels, including the video-on-demand portal alleskino.
• bodensee.de Travel Portal Travel booking portal for the Lake Constance region offering verified accommodations, secure bookings, and travel services.
• meckpomm.de Travel Portal Travel portal for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern offering over 30,000 accommodations including holiday apartments, holiday homes, and bungalows.
• SV Event Event planning and venue rental services at the Ravensburg media house, including afterwork event packages delivered at client locations and the Medienhaus Live event series featuring lectures, conversations, music, and performances for up to 150 guests.
• Druck + Verlag Wagner (Amtsblatt Publishing) Publishing company producing official municipal bulletins (Amtsblätter) for over 50 cities and municipalities, handling the complete process from subscription management to professional design, production, and reliable delivery.
• cm city media Wholly-owned subsidiary providing digital and cross-media communication solutions for municipalities, including websites, mobile applications, and printed media for citizen engagement.
• Labhard Medien Magazines Magazine publishing company specializing in tourism, economics, and regional marketing publications, including travel magazines for Lake Constance, Oberschwaben, Switzerland, Saxony, and Northern Germany.
• aktiv Magazine Magazine focused on health and leisure for the Lake Constance, Oberschwaben, Allgäu, and Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg regions with a circulation of 160,000 copies, published four times annually.
• mecklenbook.de Online Bookstore Online bookstore publishing regional books, magazines, calendars, and CDs covering entertainment, crime, humor, current events, and history, particularly for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
• Mediencafé Catering and food service for meetings and events at the Ravensburg media house, providing snacks, hot and cold beverages, and fresh lunch meals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60 million monthly online visits across digital platforms
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Radio 7coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate radio station partnership with 44% ownership stake. Radio 7 is one of the three largest regional broadcasters in Baden-Württemberg and market leader among private radio stations between Alb and Bodensee, Schwarzwald and Allgäu. Headquarters in Ulm with regional studios in Aalen, Ravensburg, and Tuttlingen.
• Radio SeefunkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRadio broadcasting partnership with 20% ownership stake. Reaches over 500,000 listeners from Leutkirch to Lörrach. Studio location in Konstanz with 13 FM frequencies, DAB+ in Baden-Württemberg, and digital streaming via smart speakers.
• Neckaralb LivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly-owned subsidiary (100%) radio station launched January 1, 2016. Pop Rock Radio format serving Reutlingen, Tübingen, and Zollernalb districts from studio location in Reutlingen.
• Labhard Medien GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMagazine publishing company specializing in tourism, economics, and regional marketing publications. Operates travel magazines for Lake Constance, Oberschwaben, Switzerland, Saxony, and North Germany.
• Druck + Verlag Wagner GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmtsblatt (official municipal bulletin) publishing house handling complete process from customer service through professional design and production to reliable delivery. Serves over 50 cities and municipalities.
• cm city media GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly-owned subsidiary (100%) providing digital and cross-media communication solutions for municipalities, including websites, mobile applications, and printed media for citizen engagement.
• Caritasverband der Diözese Rottenburg-StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable partnership for 'Helfen bringt Freude' (Help Brings Joy) annual Christmas donation campaign. Since 2013, over 3.7 million euros have been donated to support people in need, with donations forwarded 100% to Caritas for local projects.
• SZ-Nothilfe im Landkreis RavensburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency aid fund operating since 1997, supporting Caritas, Diakonie, and women/children in crisis. Approximately 35 volunteers, donating 100,000-120,000 euros annually, with 1.4 million euros total distributed since founding helping 4,500+ people.
• Lighthouse Home EntertainmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent home entertainment company managing over 1,200 film rights in German-speaking markets. Covers complete film product lifecycle across digital and physical retail channels, including own video-on-demand portal alleskino.
• Print RoyalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerE-commerce company operating online configurator for personalized photo gifts including photo pillows, mugs, lighters, and phone cases.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Funke Mediengruppe: Privately held German regional media conglomerate operating daily newspapers (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Berliner Morgenpost, Hamburger Abendblatt), digital portals, and adjacent service businesses. Comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media as a multi-region, family-owned media house spanning print, digital, and logistics-adjacent services.
• Madsack Mediengruppe: German regional newspaper and digital media group (Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, Leipziger Volkszeitung, Morgenpost am Sonntag), with growing digital subscription and regional advertising portfolios. Comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media as a diversified German regional publisher with strong local brands and multi-state footprint.
• Rheinische Post Mediengruppe: D\u00fcsseldorf-based family-owned media group publishing Rheinische Post, Aachener Zeitung, and Saarbr\u00fccker Zeitung alongside digital portals and commercial services. Comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media as a multi-title German regional publisher with diversified media-services revenue.
• Mediengruppe M\u00fcnchner Merkur / ippen.media: Family-owned Munich-area publisher (M\u00fcnchner Merkur, tz) combined with the Ippen digital publishing network. Comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media as a German regional house combining strong local print titles with a sizable digital publishing footprint and adjacent service offerings.
• Mediengruppe Straubing / Mittelbayerische Medien: Bavarian family-owned regional publisher (Mittelbayerische Zeitung) operating print titles, digital portals, radio, and ancillary services in eastern Bavaria. Comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media as a privately-held German regional media house with a similar integrated print/digital/broadcast structure.
• Verlag D. Straube / Frankenpost (Mediengruppe Oberfranken): Upper Franconia-based regional media group (Frankenpost, Nordbayerischer Kurier) with print, digital, logistics, and local advertising operations. Comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media as a regional German multi-title house bundling subscription media with logistics-adjacent services.
• S\u00fcdwestdeutsche Medienholding (SWMH): Stuttgart-based media holding behind S\u00fcddeutsche Zeitung and Stuttgarter Zeitung / Stuttgarter Nachrichten, plus digital and regional broadcast interests. Most direct comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media given the Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg overlap and similar cross-media portfolio structure.
• Medienhaus Lensing / Zeitungsgruppe Lensing: Westphalian regional media group publishing Westf\u00e4lische Rundschau, Ruhr Nachrichten, and M\u00fcnstersche Zeitung with a strong local advertising and digital portfolio. Comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media as a multi-title, multi-channel German regional publisher operating shared service and distribution scale.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsche Post DHL (Logistics & Fulfillment reference): Germany's incumbent postal and parcel operator with national letter and parcel logistics plus a large fulfillment and e-commerce logistics arm (DHL Supply Chain). Comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media's S\u00fcdmail and good-stock operations as a logistics and fulfillment competitor and benchmark for valuation of those segments.
• Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck: Stuttgart-headquartered media holding encompassing S\u00fcddeutsche Zeitung's commercial arm, Tagesspiegel, and digital media investments. Comparable to Schw\u00e4bisch Media's regional German publishing footprint but at materially larger scale and broader commercial scope, including book and digital media.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/msv_karriere
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9sNSXRFqki_3KpFvcrH0Vw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SchwaebischMedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries27 records

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 Schwäbisch Verlag