Journalistenzentrum Herne

What Journalistenzentrum Herne does

Journalistenzentrum Herne (JZH), branded as 'Das Journalistenzentrum Herne', is a non-profit journalism and public relations training center headquartered at Shamrockring 1 in Herne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. It is operated by the registered charitable association 'Neue Gesellschaft für publizistische Bildungsarbeit e. V.' Founded in 2020, the center is positioned structurally independent of publishers, broadcasters, platforms, startups, political parties, and trade unions — a positioning it markets as a credibility differentiator for media and PR education.

The center's product portfolio consists of three training streams: Volontärskurse (trainee courses) in journalism and in PR for aspiring media professionals, Weiterbildungskurse (continuing education courses) for working journalists and communicators, and customized Inhouse-Seminare delivered at client locations or the Herne center. A network of approximately 50 experienced lecturers, drawn from active roles at publishers, broadcasters, and companies, delivers the courses. Ancillary services are bundled into the experience: a catering fee of EUR 16.75 per day (covering lunch at partner restaurant Zurbrüggen, plus beverages, snacks and fruit) and a preferred-rate accommodation arrangement with B&B Hotel Bochum-Herne at EUR 69.00 per night.

The center generates revenue through course fees (not publicly disclosed), catering fees, and bespoke in-house seminar pricing. It serves a mix of media companies, ministries and government institutions, counties and municipalities, and corporate PR teams. There are 12 employees on staff alongside the freelance lecturer network. The center operates without proprietary technology, apps, or APIs; distribution is via its own website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), and direct outreach for in-house engagements. No funding rounds, M&A activity, or external investment are disclosed.

Name

Journalistenzentrum Herne

Legal name

Neue Gesellschaft für publizistische Bildungsarbeit e. V.

Website

https://journalistenzentrum-herne.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Das Journalistenzentrum Herne is a non-profit training center in Herne, Germany that delivers journalism and PR trainee courses, continuing education, and customized in-house seminars to media professionals, government communicators, and corporate PR teams, using a network of approximately 50 working practitioners as lecturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Journalism and PR Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Short-Term Academic Program Providers (Multi-Discipline) (EDAIAIAB)

Keywords

• Journalism training courses
• PR training programs
• Media professional education
• Continuing education courses
• Trainee journalist courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Herne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Seminar Course Fees: Fees charged for journalism and PR trainee courses and continuing education courses. Course fees include lunch and beverages during training sessions.
2. Catering Fee: Daily catering fee of 16.75 Euro per day for Volontärskurse, including lunch at nearby Zurbrüggen restaurant, beverages, snacks and fruits.
3. Inhouse Seminars: Customized training seminars delivered at client locations or at the Herne center, priced based on client requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Journalistenzentrum Herne delivers independent, practice-oriented training for journalists and PR professionals through four program lines: Volontärskurse Journalismus, Volontärskurse PR, Weiterbildungskurse, and customized Inhouse-Seminare. Courses are taught by roughly 50 active practitioners and are offered both at the Herne center and as on-site seminars at client locations. Bundled catering (via Restaurant Zurbrüggen) and accommodation (via B&B Hotel Bochum-Herne) provide a turnkey professional education experience for media and communications professionals across Germany.

Product overview

Journalistenzentrum Herne operates as an independent, non-profit journalism and media training center offering a unified portfolio of training services. The core offerings consist of Volontärskurse Journalismus (journalism trainee courses) and Volontärskurse PR (PR trainee courses), supplemented by Weiterbildungskurse (continuing education courses) for professional development. Customized Inhouse-Seminare (in-house seminars) extend the training to client organizations. All programs include catering services, with Volontärskurse additionally including a daily catering fee for meals at the nearby Zurbrüggen restaurant. The center maintains partnerships with local accommodation providers (B&B Hotel Bochum-Herne) for out-of-town participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volontärskurse Journalismus Trainee courses for aspiring and current Volontäre covering the fundamentals and advanced techniques of journalistic work, including practical training components. Targeted at journalists and editorial trainees from publishers, broadcasters, and media companies across Germany. Includes a daily catering fee of 16.75 Euro for lunch and beverages.
• Volontärskurse PR Trainee courses for PR and public relations professionals providing comprehensive training in communication strategies and public relations practices. Targeted at PR trainees and corporate/government communications staff across Germany. Includes a daily catering fee of 16.75 Euro for lunch and beverages.
• Weiterbildungskurse Continuing education courses for professionals seeking to expand their skills in journalism, PR, or related media fields. Targeted at working journalists, PR professionals, and communications staff pursuing professional development. Lunch and beverages are included in the seminar fee.
• Inhouse-Seminare Customized training seminars tailored to specific organizational needs, available at the Journalistenzentrum in Herne or delivered on-site at client locations. Available as one-day courses or two-week coaching programs. Pricing is quote-based and provided upon request. Targeted at media companies, government institutions, and corporate communications departments.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• B&B Hotel Bochum-HernesupportingOthersPreferred accommodation partner for seminar participants. Located 5 minutes walking distance from JZH in Shamrockpark. Offers special rates of 69.00 Euro/night (from Jan 2025) for course participants. Optional breakfast available for 12.90 Euro.
• Restaurant ZurbrüggensupportingOthersCatering partner providing lunch service for course participants. Located near the training center. Lunch included in course fees for Volontärskurse (16.75 Euro/day) and Weiterbildungskurse.
• Neue Gesellschaft für publizistische Bildungsarbeit e. V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit parent organization (registered association) that operates the Journalistenzentrum Herne. Ensures independence and non-profit status of the training center.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb): Federal agency providing civic and media education across Germany. Adjacent to JZH on media literacy and government communications training, but operating as a public agency rather than commercial training provider.

Direct peers

• RTL Journalistenschule: RTL's broadcaster-affiliated journalist school in Cologne providing journalism trainee courses. Competes with JZH on trainee training for broadcast media, but commercial broadcaster affiliation.
• Deutsche Presseakademie (depak): German press academy providing continuing education and PR/journalism training seminars. Directly comparable to JZH Weiterbildungskurse and Inhouse-Seminare offerings.
• Kölner Journalistenschule: Cologne-based journalism training school offering Volontär training courses. Comparable to JZH in NRW region though serving larger cohort.
• Deutsche Journalistenschule (DJS): One of Germany's premier journalism schools based in Munich, offering trainee/journalism courses for aspiring journalists. Direct competitor to JZH Volontärskurse Journalismus, operating at much larger scale.
• Burda Journalism School: German journalism school offering trainee courses for journalists, operated with Hubert Burda Media. Comparable trainee/Volontärskurs offering to JZH, though publisher-affiliated.
• Axel Springer Academy of Journalism: Berlin-based journalism academy operated by Axel Springer, providing trainee programs for journalists. Competes with JZH on journalism trainee training, but is publisher-affiliated rather than independent.
• Henri-Nannen-Schule: Hamburg-based journalism school founded by Gruner + Jahr, running Volontär-style trainee programs. Comparable to JZH in offering journalist qualification courses, though affiliated with a major publisher.
• Georg von Holtzbrinck School of Journalism (HSJ): Berlin-based journalism school offering trainee programs (Volontärsausbildung). Directly comparable to JZH's journalism trainee courses, though affiliated with Holtzbrinck publishing group.

Broad incumbents

• ARD/ZDF Medienakademie: Public broadcaster training arm for ARD and ZDF staff offering continuing education. Broader/incumbent competitor to JZH Weiterbildungskurse, primarily serving internal staff rather than open enrollment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jzherne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/das-journalistenzentrum-herne
• Instagraminstagram.com/jzherne

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Journalistenzentrum Herne