Die Glocke

What Die Glocke does

Die Glocke is a regional German daily newspaper headquartered in Oelde, North Rhine-Westphalia, owned by the family-owned publisher E. Holterdorf GmbH & Co. KG. It serves readers across the Kreis Warendorf and Kreis Gütersloh districts, covering more than 20 municipalities including Ahlen, Beckum, Gütersloh, Harsewinkel, Rheda-Wiedenbrück, and Warendorf. The publication employs 101–250 staff, including approximately 60 full-time journalists plus freelance contributors, producing continuous 365-day local coverage of community news, regional politics, local sports, weather, and curated national/international headlines. Its editorial positioning emphasizes hyperlocal reporting and dedicated town-level sections that national outlets cannot economically replicate.

The company operates a multi-platform media portfolio spanning print home delivery, a TYPO3 CMS-based website (die-glocke.de), an E-Paper digital replica available via web and iOS/Android mobile apps, and a premium digital subscription tier called Glocke+ (G+). G+ unlocks exclusive, specially-researched articles at €0.99 for the first month, then €7.90 per month or €79 annually, with access on up to five devices. Adjacent digital properties include a Trauerportal (obituaries), Stellenportal (jobs), Kleinanzeigen (classifieds), TV program guide, RSS feeds, CleverReach-powered newsletters, WhatsApp Channels, a CTS Eventim-powered Ticket-Shop, and Leserreisen (reader travel). The technology stack is standard publishing infrastructure with no disclosed proprietary AI capabilities.

Die Glocke generates revenue through four primary streams: recurring print and digital subscriptions, classified and display advertising (jobs, obituaries, small ads), affiliate/referral income from reader travel and ticket sales, and ancillary reader services. Distribution relies on a core logistics partnership with Deutsche Post DHL Group for print home delivery, supplemented by self-serve digital subscription via the abo.die-glocke.de storefront, mobile app, and PayPal-enabled online payments. The business is GDPR/CCPA compliant and operated entirely on German-jurisdiction infrastructure (CleverReach servers in Germany/Ireland), with no external investors, private equity, or public shareholders disclosed.

Name

Die Glocke

Legal name

E. Holterdorf GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://die-glocke.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Die Glocke is a family-owned regional daily newspaper published by E. Holterdorf GmbH & Co. KG in Oelde, Germany, serving residents of Kreis Warendorf and Kreis Gütersloh via print, e-paper, mobile app, and the G+ digital subscription.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oelde

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Print Newspaper Subscriptions: Home delivery subscriptions for the printed daily newspaper covering local news from Kreis Warendorf and Kreis Gütersloh regions. Kündigungsfrist (cancellation notice) of one month to month-end.
2. Digital G+ Subscriptions: Premium online access to G+ exclusive articles on die-glocke.de. Monthly subscription at €7.90 (after €0.99 first month trial) or annual subscription at €79. Includes up to five device access.
3. E-Paper Subscriptions: Digital replica of the printed newspaper accessible via web, app, or e-reader. Can be combined with print subscriptions for free digital upgrade.
4. Classified and Marketplace Advertising: Revenue from job portal (Stellenportal), obituary portal (Trauerportal), small ads (Kleinanzeigen), and general advertising sections.
5. Reader Travel Services: Leserreisen (reader travel) offerings and ticket services via CTS Eventim partnership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Die Glocke is a regional German-language daily newspaper providing local news and information for the districts of Gütersloh and Warendorf in North Rhine-Westphalia. It distributes content across print (home-delivered and newsstand editions), e-paper digital replicas, premium digital subscriptions (G+), mobile apps, and supplementary portals for obituaries, jobs, classifieds, and reader travel.

Product overview

Die Glocke is a regional German newspaper publisher offering a multi-platform news media portfolio. The core offering consists of a daily print newspaper (Die Glocke) covering Kreis Warendorf and Kreis Gütersloh regions, supplemented by the E-Paper digital replica. Premium digital access is provided through the G+ (Glocke Plus) subscription, which unlocks exclusive, specially-marked premium articles with enhanced research. Additional digital services include dedicated portals for obituaries (Trauerportal), job listings (Stellenportal), and classified ads (Kleinanzeigen). The company also offers reader trips, a ticket shop, WhatsApp news channels, email newsletters, RSS feeds, and a TV program guide. A mobile app provides e-paper access and offline reading capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Glocke+ (G+): Premium digital subscription service offering exclusive articles and enhanced digital content access
• Glocke+

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsche Post DHL GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLogistics partner for newspaper print distribution and home delivery services. Primary partner for physical newspaper delivery to subscribers.
• CTS EventimminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicket sales platform for reader events and travel offerings. Operates ticket shop integrated into Die Glocke website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bild (Axel Springer): Germany's largest tabloid and digital news property. Comparable as a benchmark for digital subscription/registration strategy and ad monetisation at national scale, competing for the same local advertiser budgets via digital channels.
• Madsack Mediengruppe: Major German regional newspaper group operating multiple regional dailies with shared digital subscription platform (RND). Comparable as a regional newspaper operating model and consolidator benchmark; relevant for understanding scale economics Die Glocke lacks.
• Rheinische Post (RP Online): Larger NRW-wide regional newspaper with broader geographic reach and digital subscription product. Comparable in regional subscription model but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth than Die Glocke.
• Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ): National German daily with strong digital subscription and e-paper product. Comparable in the print-to-digital subscription transition mechanics, though its market is national politics/economics rather than hyperlocal.

Direct peers

• Münstersche Zeitung: Regional daily for the Münster area with overlapping coverage of Kreis Warendorf. Direct comparable in print legacy, e-paper, and paid digital content for NRW hyperlocal markets.
• Die Glocke competitor: Westfalen-Blatt: Regional daily newspaper based in Bielefeld covering Ostwestfalen-Lippe including parts of NRW. Closely comparable family-owned regional publisher with print + e-paper + paid digital subscription stack.
• Neue Westfälische: Major regional daily for Ostwestfalen-Lippe. Comparable in regional NRW coverage, multi-district local edition structure, and digital subscription / e-paper model.
• Westfälische Nachrichten: Regional daily newspaper covering the Münsterland and surrounding districts in NRW. Directly comparable in geography, scale, and traditional print-plus-digital subscription model serving communities adjacent to Die Glocke's footprint.

Regional players

• Haller Kreisblatt: Regional daily covering the Halle/Westfalen area, geographically adjacent to Kreis Gütersloh. Comparable small-format local subscription newspaper model serving a similar NRW community profile.
• Lippische Landes-Zeitung: Regional daily for Lippe in NRW. Comparable as a family-scale regional newspaper with print, e-paper, and digital subscription offering targeting a similarly sized hyperlocal market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DieGlocke
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/e-holterdorf

Compliance2 records

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 Die Glocke