What Übermedien does

Übermedien is a Berlin-based, German-language online magazine that publishes media criticism, investigations, commentary, and podcasts about journalism and German media institutions. Founded in 2016 by media journalists Stefan Niggemeier and Boris Rosenkranz, it operates a freemium subscription model and is financed exclusively by approximately 7,466 paying subscribers (Übonnent:innen), with no advertising, no state funding, and no revenue from Google or Facebook. Content is distributed through the uebermedien.de website, the "Holger ruft an" weekly podcast (244 episodes, hosted via Podigee), the "Nice & Nötig" and other podcast series, the free Friday newsletter "Der Überblick," and the paid Saturday newsletter "Das Thema am Wochenende". Subscription management, payment processing, and paywall functionality are delivered through the Steady Media platform, with a mobile app available on iOS and Android.

The technology stack is intentionally lightweight and non-proprietary: WordPress CMS for publishing, Podigee for podcast hosting and distribution, and Steady for subscription commerce and app delivery. The product surface spans long-form articles, commentary, glosses, language critique, a media-journalism glossary, multiple newsletters, and several podcast series, all targeted at critical media consumers and media-industry professionals in German-speaking Europe.

The business is privately held and small (1-10 employees; sources: firmographics). Since 2025, ownership of Übermedien GmbH has been split 50/50 between DWDL.de — another independent German media-journalism outlet — and co-founder Boris Rosenkranz, a structural consolidation rather than an external capital raise. Customer segments are horizontal: critical media consumers and media professionals who want transparency on journalism, bias, and editorial practice. Pricing is subscription-based with a monthly option, a discounted annual option, and a first-month-free trial.

Name

Übermedien

Legal name

Übermedien

Website

https://uebermedien.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Übermedien is a Berlin-based, German-language online magazine founded in 2016 that publishes media criticism, investigations, and podcasts about journalism and German media institutions, financed exclusively by approximately 7,466 paying subscribers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Criticism / Online Journalism

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Podcast Hosting Platforms (RSS, Analytics, Distribution) (MPACADAA)

Keywords

• Media criticism
• Independent journalism
• Media commentary
• Digital news magazine
• Subscription publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Financially supported exclusively by subscribers (Übonnenten) who pay for premium access. No advertising, no state funding, no Google/Facebook revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Übermedien publishes a German-language online magazine that delivers daily media criticism, articles, commentary, investigations, and podcasts about journalism and media institutions. The publication is funded exclusively by reader subscriptions (Abonnees) and offers both free and paid content via a digital paywall, supplemented by free weekly newsletters and premium subscriber-only newsletters.

Product overview

Übermedien is a German online media criticism magazine founded in 2016 by Stefan Niggemeier and Boris Rosenkranz. The company operates a digital publication at uebermedien.de offering critical coverage of journalism, media institutions, and media practices in Germany. The core product is the online magazine featuring daily articles, investigations, commentary, and analysis. The company distributes content through multiple channels including the "Holger ruft an" podcast series hosted on Podigee, two newsletter products (the free "Der Überblick" weekly newsletter and the premium "Das Thema am Wochenende" Saturday newsletter for subscribers), and a subscription service managed via the Steady platform. The subscription model operates on a freemium basis with a paywall for premium content. The company is independently financed through approximately 7,466 subscriber-supported subscriptions without advertising, government funding, or Big Tech revenue. Since 2025, DWDL.de holds 50% ownership in the Übermedien GmbH, with the remaining 50% held by Boris Rosenkranz.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Übermedien Kompakt: Weekly newsletter with exclusive investigations, analysis, and commentary delivered Saturday mornings
• Der Überblick
• Holger ruft an
• Nice & Nötig

Products and services

• Übermedien Online Magazine
• Holger ruft an (Podcast)
• Der Überblick (Newsletter)
• Das Thema am Wochenende (Newsletter)
• Übermedien Subscription (Abonnement)
• Übermedien Glossary (Glossar)

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 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 core and minor.

• Steady Media UGcoreTechnology or IntegrationSteady handles subscription management, payment processing, and provides the platform's paywall functionality. Based in Berlin at Schönhauser Allee 36, 10435 Berlin.
• Podigee GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationPodcast hosting service provider located at Schlesische Straße 20, 10997 Berlin, Germany. Manages podcast distribution and analytics.
• VG WortminorOthersPartnership for measuring text access to enable author participation in VG Wort distributions for statutory remuneration under § 53 UrhG.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Columbia Journalism Review: Long-standing US publication dedicated to journalism criticism and media-industry analysis. Closest international analogue to Übermedien in editorial mission, though English-language and institutionally affiliated.
• Presswatch (formerly NewsBusters-type media watch): English-language equivalents of media-watchdog journalism exist (e.g., Press Watch, FAIR). They serve comparable functions — critiquing media coverage — but operate in English and do not compete for German-speaking subscribers.
• Nieman Lab: Harvard-based publication covering journalism innovation and media-industry trends with a critical lens. Strong conceptual peer to Übermedien in mission (covering media critically) but operates in English and is affiliated with a university, not reader-funded.

Direct peers

• Correctiv: German non-profit investigative journalism outlet funded in part by reader donations/subscriptions. Comparable reader-funded, independent model in the German market, though focused on investigative reporting rather than media criticism.
• netzwerk recherche: German association of investigative journalists that publishes critical analyses and investigations of media quality. Mission-aligned with Übermedien (media quality, press freedom) and serves a comparable audience of journalists and media-literate readers.
• Meedia: German online magazine covering the media, marketing, and digital industries. Comparable target audience (media professionals, industry observers) and overlapping subject matter, though Meedia skews toward industry news and marketing rather than criticism.
• medium magazin: German magazine focused on journalism as a profession, publishing interviews, criticism, and analysis. Highly comparable to Übermedien in both format (long-form journalism about journalism) and target audience (journalists and media professionals).
• DWDL.de: German online media-industry news outlet covering TV, streaming, and journalism. Now also a 50% owner of Übermedien. Closely comparable in subject matter (German media industry coverage) and audience (media professionals), though its primary format is daily news vs. criticism.

Broad incumbents

• Horizont: Established German trade publication for the marketing, media, and advertising industries. Overlaps with Übermedien's audience and media-industry coverage but is part of a much larger portfolio (dfv) and operates primarily as a B2B trade magazine.

Others

• Steady: Berlin-based platform that powers Übermedien's subscription management, payments, and paywall. Not a content competitor, but a critical infrastructure provider whose product decisions materially affect Übermedien's economics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uebermedien
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@uebermedien
• Facebookfacebook.com/uebermedien
• Instagraminstagram.com/uebermedien

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Übermedien