Shz.de

What Shz.de does

Shz.de is the digital news portal of Schleswig-Holsteinischer Zeitungsverlag GmbH & Co. KG, a privately-held regional newspaper publisher founded in 1946 and headquartered in Flensburg with regional operations in Kiel. The company operates 20+ regional newspaper titles across Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg (Flensburger Tageblatt, Schleswiger Nachrichten, Husumer Nachrichten, Sylter Rundschau, Elmshorner Nachrichten, and others), combined with owned printing facilities in Pinneberg and Büdelsdorf, a home-delivery distribution network, and digital platforms including the shz.de portal, shz News app, E-Paper, and HÖRBAR audio app.

The core product is hyper-local news and sports coverage for Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, with dedicated regional editions across SH Nord, SH Mitte, and SH Süd, plus specialized verticals in family, children (KiWi), politics, and handball. The technology stack combines a CMS-driven web portal, native mobile apps, an E-Paper reader, a TTS-powered audio platform, and a podcast Audiothek, all integrated under the mein.shz.de subscriber hub. The company is a core affiliate of the NOZ/mh:n MEDIEN network, which provides shared infrastructure and cross-promotion across northern German regional media.

Revenue is generated through a subscription-led model (digital-only shz premium and shz plus, 12- and 24-month print subscriptions, and bundled print + digital packages) supplemented by display and classified advertising (JOBS.sh, Trauer.shz.de, shop.shz.de, weekli flyers), reader travel (Leserreisen), language courses, and merchandise. GTM is primarily self-serve online subscription with telephone and postal channels, supported by email newsletters, podcasts, a school-based Zisch education program, the Wir von hier citizen journalism platform, and a 'Leser werben Leser' reader-referral program offering cash and merchandise rewards. Customer segments include general consumer readers, schools and students, families with children, and local businesses advertising on the platform.

Name

Shz.de

Legal name

Schleswig-Holsteinischer Zeitungsverlag GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://shz.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shz.de is the digital portal of Schleswig-Holsteinischer Zeitungsverlag, a privately-held regional newspaper publisher delivering hyper-local news, sports, and classifieds across Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg via web, mobile apps, E-Paper, and print, monetized through subscriptions, advertising, and reader services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Newspaper Publishing

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Regional newspaper publishing
• Digital news subscription
• Local news media
• Print newspaper delivery
• Classified advertising platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Flensburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Digital-only subscriptions (shz premium, shz plus) providing unlimited access to shz.de content and apps. Available as monthly, quarterly, or annual plans.
2. Print Subscriptions: Home-delivered printed newspapers with regional titles covering various areas of Schleswig-Holstein. Available in 12 or 24-month terms with regional edition selection.
3. Combined Print + Digital Subscriptions: Bundle packages offering both print delivery and digital access at discounted rates compared to separate subscriptions.
4. Advertising: Display advertising, classifieds (jobs.shz.de, trauer.shz.de, shop.shz.de), and branded content/advertorials integrated into the news platform.
5. Reader Travels (Leserreisen): Organized travel packages and excursions marketed to subscribers and readers.
6. Special Products and Merchandise: Shop offerings including regional books, guides, and promotional items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Shz.de is a regional digital news portal operated by Schleswig-Holsteinischer Zeitungsverlag that provides hyper-local news, sports, weather, classifieds, and community coverage for Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg. The company sells digital subscriptions (shz plus, shz premium), print newspaper home delivery, combined print+digital bundles, display advertising, and reader travel services. Additional offerings include an e-paper platform, mobile apps, audio content via shz Hörbar, the Zisch educational program for schools, and a reader-reporter community platform.

Product overview

Shz.de operates as a multi-platform news media company (Schleswig-Holsteinischer Zeitungsverlag) offering a unified platform with distinct digital and print products. The core offering centers on shz.de as the primary news portal, supplemented by digital subscription tiers (shz plus and shz premium), mobile applications (shz News App, shz E-Paper, shz HÖRBAR audio app), and educational initiatives (Zisch). The product portfolio includes regional weekly newspapers, the Audiothek podcast platform with multiple regional shows, the Vorteilswelt subscriber benefits portal with magazines like LandGang, specialized sub-brands for employment (JOBS.sh), obituaries (Trauer.shz.de), and offers (weekli), all connected through the mein.shz.de subscriber management hub. The ecosystem also includes KiWi children's news and the Wir von hier reader-contributor platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• shz News App: Mobile news application for smartphone users
• shz E-Paper
• shz Hörbar
• shz plus
• shz premium
• Zisch - Zeitung in der Schule
• LandGang
• Wochenmopo
• Schleswig Holstein am Wochenende
• Rätselzeit
• KiWi - Kinder.Wissen.mehr
• Handballwoche
• Wir von hier
• HÖRBAR
• Audiothek
• Pur
• Nugget
• Durchblick am Mittag
• Durchblick am Morgen
• Mensch, Papa!

Products and services

• shz.de Nachrichtenportal Primary digital news portal providing regional news coverage for Schleswig-Holstein, covering local events, politics, sports, and lifestyle content across multiple regions and topics.
• shz E-Paper Digital newspaper reader application allowing subscribers to access the complete digital edition of the printed newspaper, including magazines and special editions.
• shz News App Mobile news application for smartphones providing news access and push notifications for breaking stories.
• shz Hörbar (Audio App) Audio application that reads articles, podcasts, and reports aloud, enabling users to listen to news content hands-free on mobile devices.
• Print Newspaper Subscription Home-delivered printed newspaper with regional titles covering various areas of Schleswig-Holstein, available in 12 or 24-month terms with regional edition selection.
• shz premium (Digital Subscription) Digital subscription providing unrestricted access to all content on shz.de and the shz News app across all devices.
• Audiothek (shz Podcast) Podcast platform featuring regional audio content including news podcasts (Guten Morgen SH), true crime series (Akte Nord, Windmacher), and topical shows (Ole schaut hin, Hölle Nord).
• Zisch - Zeitung in der Schule Educational initiative providing schools with 6-month free access to digital newspapers for classroom use, promoting media literacy among students aged 8-18.
• JOBS.sh (Job Board) Regional job board platform for employment listings in the Schleswig-Holstein area.
• Trauer.shz.de (Obituary Portal) Obituary and funeral notice portal providing funeral advertisements and memorial services.
• shz-Leserreisen (Reader Travel) Reader travel service offering vacation packages, city trips, and cruises for subscribers.
• Vorteilswelt (Subscriber Benefits Portal) Subscriber benefits portal offering exclusive discounts, premium content access, reader travel services, and special magazine editions for registered subscribers.
• Wir von hier (Reader-Reporter Platform) Reader-contributor platform enabling local clubs, fire departments, schools, and organizations to publish their own news articles and stories.
• KiWi - Kinder.Wissen.mehr Child-friendly news platform delivering age-appropriate news content for children, available online and in the digital newspaper.
• weekli (Digital Flyers) Digital flyer and local offers platform integrated with the shz ecosystem, displaying weekly promotional content from local retailers.
• Wochenzeitungen (Weekly Newspapers) Collection of weekly local newspapers covering specific regions within Schleswig-Holstein, including titles like Schleswig-Holstein am Wochenende and Wochenmopo.
• LandGang Magazin Regional lifestyle magazine available as a premium add-on for subscribers, featuring local culture and lifestyle content.

Quantifiable outcome

• Educational program available to schools for 6 months free with full E-Paper access and teaching materials

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NOZ/mh:n MEDIENcoreOthersShz.de is part of the NOZ/mh:n MEDIEN network of regional newspapers. This affiliation provides cross-promotion opportunities, shared technology infrastructure, and expanded content reach across northern German media markets.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Schweriner Volkszeitung: Regional daily newspaper covering Schwerin and surrounding Mecklenburg-Vorpommern areas, adjacent to shz.de's northern coverage. Operates comparable multi-title regional model with print + digital subscription bundles and local advertising.
• Lübecker Nachrichten: Regional daily newspaper covering Lübeck and surrounding SH Süd areas, directly overlapping with shz.de's southern coverage zone. Operates comparable print + digital subscription model targeting the same Schleswig-Holstein readership.
• Ostsee-Zeitung: Regional daily covering Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, immediately adjacent to shz.de's Schleswig-Holstein territory. Comparable regional print + digital model with multi-title portfolio and sports coverage of local clubs.
• Kieler Nachrichten: Major regional daily newspaper based in Kiel, covering the same Schleswig-Holstein Mitte region as shz.de. Direct competitor for local news subscribers and advertisers in the same geography with similar print + digital subscription model.
• Hamburger Abendblatt: Leading Hamburg regional daily newspaper that overlaps with shz.de's Hamburg coverage. Direct competitor for Hamburg subscribers and advertisers using a similar print + digital subscription bundle model.
• RP Online (Rheinische Post): Major regional newspaper serving the Rhineland with comparable digital subscription model, local advertising verticals, and multi-platform product ecosystem. Comparable in scale and digital pivot strategy, though operating in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Funke Mediengruppe: Major German regional newspaper group publishing titles including WAZ, NRZ, Berliner Morgenpost, and Hamburger Morgenpost. Operates a similar print + digital regional newspaper model across multiple German states with shared technology and editorial infrastructure.
• Madsack Mediengruppe: Regional newspaper group publishing Hannoversche Allgemeine, Lübecker Nachrichten, and other titles. Comparable regional print + digital model with multi-title portfolio across northern Germany, partially overlapping shz.de's geography.
• Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR): Public broadcaster serving Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Competes for the same local news audience via free digital, radio, and TV channels, funded by mandatory fees rather than subscriptions.

Regional players

• Flensborg Avis: Danish-language newspaper published from Flensburg since 1869, covering the same Schleswig-Holstein border region as shz.de. Directly competes for the Danish-German minority and cross-border audience in the Flensburg area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shz_de
• Facebookfacebook.com/shzonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/norddeutsche-rundschau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 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 Shz.de