Hörzu
The Hörzu (up to 1972 listening to ) is a published since 1946 and the first German TV magazine (then 250,000 copies, 30 Pfennig, 12 pages, only radio program ). The history is closely linked with that of the Axel - Springer -Verlag.
Today Hörzu appears Fridays with a circulation of around 1.4 million copies.
On 25 July 2013, the Axel Springer AG announced the sale of Hörzu to spark media group known. The sale is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities and is to be economically effective January 1, 2014.
History and Development
Prehistory
In the summer of 1945, the broadcasting operation was resumed in Germany and in addition licensed newspapers also approved the publishing of journals program after the Second World War. The 33 -year-old Axel Springer planned along with John senior year and Max Schmeling entry into the publishing business and received by the Allies, not least because he was not a party member, on December 11, 1945 Publisher license. It applied to the Altona Verlag Erich Hamm & Lesser, in the Springer moved with his father Hinrich calendar and entertainment novels.
After several license applications, for example for the daily newspaper Hamburger Telegraph or the program sheet that sounds the world, were rejected or withdrawn, Springer managed the acquisition of a broadcasting -related publishing project. The occupiers, including the Chief Controller Hugh C. Greene wanted additional sales on selected radio posts in printed form and prefer to give into the hands of an independent publisher, than leave it to the broadcasters themselves. So Springer began in April 1946 with the publication of the Northwest German booklets, reports from the NWDR program abdruckten.
License application and the first edition
In spring 1946, Springer made a request to the British Press Section to issue a program guide. He argued:
He also pointed to the successful cooperation with the NWDR at the Northwest German booklets and on the long experience of the publisher. In June 1946 he was granted a license for the publication of a journal with the working title of radio - mail, and in the following contract negotiations with the NWDR he allowed himself to assure the exclusive right to completely reprint the programs. In addition to the short-term program preview in the daily newspapers of NWDR should no other program magazines approve the impression.
After the first sale of a newspaper under the name "Stop with! " was "hears enemy " of the British military government with regard to the spread of the Nazis warning saying rejected, succeeded the approval of the name "Listen To ". On December 11, 1946, one year after the granting of the publishing license, therefore, the first issue of listening to. The print edition of the twelve-page magazine was limited to 250,000 copies, the unit price was 0.30 Reichsmarks. The chief editor Eduard Rhein turned in a greeting to the readers:
"Listen to does not want to replace a magazine, not a gazebo with crochet and radio program, do not flirt with the stage and the film. [ ... ] Listen to the radio holds only for a precursor of the colored, plastic television broadcasting. "
Content offered the first issues of the hearing to reports on the NWDR, news from the radio and television technology, portraits of the commentators and the obligatory technical question box which readers in the repair of their radio receivers helped.
In close editorial collaboration with the editors of NWDR new transmission lines and radio plays were presented, offered and sweepstakes. In the complete Program section every weekday was a site dedicated to the transmission time of 20-22 clock pointed out a box. In addition to the NWDR program was the program of the other German broadcasters, the BBC, reprinted from Paris and Paris National.
A letter to the editor section, a small crossword puzzles and jokes rounded off the book.
Restructuring
As with the European Recovery Program, the paper shortage and the consequent limitation of the print run came to an end, the German magazine market began to move. The currency reform of 1948 caused more thrift in German households, and many newspapers and magazines were before the economic corner.
The abolition of licensing requirements opened up the market for non-political, reader-oriented products. The magazine gave its readers not only reports but also colorful images. Quick and revue multiplied their requirements.
At the same time the previous editorial collaboration with the NWDR was always lower. The radio station also allowed other program guides the imprint of his radio program, and a reorientation and restructuring should be for the economic survival of listening to the only way out.
As of 1949, the hearing extended to the existing folder structure elements from popular magazines, such as recipes and serialized novels, and emphasized the technical reporting. Films and stars were part of the coverage, and with gossip approached you look at the magazines on to. The magazine attempted to create a " perfect world " for their readers, and the covers of the 50s and 60s contributed illustrations of the painter Kurt Ard, the "typical" family situations represented.
In order to defend its leading market position among the program magazines and expand, in September 1961, the Berlin Radio - television revue, which of the Springer-Verlag had taken over in 1959 by the bought Ullsteinhaus publisher, with the hearing to united. The Radio - Television Chorus was founded in 1946 under the then name "Radio Chorus " by the Berlin publisher Heinz Ullsteinhaus as a radio program guide for the West Berlin radio station RIAS and then was temporarily after the acquisition of the Ullstein publishing by Springer as a sister magazine of hearing to be continued.
Generational change
In addition to a drop in circulation in 1962, the hearing had to under the pen of the now more than 60 -year-old Eduard Rhein by far not as fresh and spontaneous as in the early years, but set and frumpy. 1965 changed the picture on Sunday - chief Hans Bluhm to the top of the editor. Bluhm managed without a significant change in the family character to adapt the magazine to the market of the late 1960s and become the new medium of television entertainment needs.
Thus, the hearing gives to every year since 1965, the " Golden Camera " and focused no longer just on film, but on TV - actor. The headlines and photos were larger, designed the magazine still visual and generous.
1979 was the print run 4.4386 million copies.
Hörzu today
Today, the Hörzu shows in an almost unchanged format. In addition to the tried and true program - reporting interviews and harmless gossip news about TV stars and personalities are the central element; Recipes, puzzles and jokes from round.
Further, an integral part is a four-page feature that takes up the topic of a recent television documentary. Frequently, tips and advice to find destinations, law and health. Since 1995, the cartoonist Wolf -Rüdiger Marunde records each week a quizzical look at life in the countryside.
In addition to the Hörzu Axel Springer AG moved the program magazines TVneu, clock radio, picture week, TV Guide and TV Digital, the content overlap slightly with the Hörzu. In areas that have potential for synergies in production, for example, the photo editing, the layout, the final editing and marketing, is working closely or planned cooperation. The television and radio program produced in specific editorial for all magazines.
A hedgehog as a trademark
With issue 43/1949, the hearing had to an editorial mascot: the hedgehog shorcut. Based on promotional material for the animated film The race between the hare and the hedgehog (1939 ) should shorcut comment on editorial issues and " complain " about potential irregularities in broadcasting. Since he was quickly popular with readers, appeared from the fall of 1951 initially irregular, then weekly comic with a shorcut and his friends Charly Penguin and the Schrat. Shorcut became the trademark and central advertising the hearing and to appear again today in continuation of stories ( the draftsman Johann Kiefersauer ).
Programme Guide for Children
In 1979, a child-friendly weekly program magazine was launched under the name Siehste on the market, but this was stopped because of insufficient sales numbers already in the following year. In Logo You see, there are three points of Hörzu recognition sign as part of a cartoon face again.