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News is an Austrian publishing group known for the News and Profil weekly news magazines and a broader portfolio of periodicals and digital publishing products.

Last updated August 31, 2026

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Overview

News, formally associated with Verlagsgruppe News Gesellschaft m.b.H., is an Austrian publishing company operating under the News Publishing Group identity. Its best-known publications include News and Profil, both weekly news magazines that have played an important role in Austria's magazine market. The group also publishes a wider portfolio of periodicals and maintains an online news presence. The company developed within a competitive Austrian magazine sector in which News and the Kurier Group were prominent rivals. The Kurier Group published Profil before the two publishing interests merged in 2001. That transaction reshaped the competitive structure of the Austrian magazine business and was challenged unsuccessfully by seven Austrian newspapers. The merger therefore represents the central documented turning point in the group's corporate history. News has been described as having more than 500 employees and holding approximately 60% of Austria's magazine advertising market at the time covered by the reference material. The group is controlled by Gruner + Jahr, the German printing and publishing company headquartered in Hamburg, which is reported to own 56% of News's stock. This ownership connection places News within a larger European publishing network while leaving its core editorial and commercial focus centered on Austria. The group operates across print and digital publishing rather than as a single-product consumer brand. Its activities include weekly news magazines, other magazine titles, advertising sales, and online news distribution. Because the available reference material does not provide a full current title list, detailed financial statements, executive biographies, founding information, or a confirmed corporate website, those fields are left unspecified. The documented profile nevertheless identifies News as a significant Austrian magazine publisher whose principal assets are its established news brands and its position in the domestic advertising market.

History

News is the publishing identity associated with Verlagsgruppe News Gesellschaft m.b.H., an Austrian magazine and digital publishing company. The available historical record describes the group primarily through its role in Austria's magazine sector and through its principal titles, News and Profil. Both are weekly news magazines, while the company also publishes a wider collection of periodicals and operates News online. The group's most significant documented corporate development occurred in 2001, when News and the Kurier Group merged. Before the transaction, the two publishing interests were among the principal competitors in Austria's magazine market. Profil was published by the Kurier Group at that time, making the merger especially consequential for the country's current-affairs magazine segment. Seven Austrian newspapers contested the transaction, but their challenge did not succeed. The deal consequently strengthened the combined group's position in Austrian magazine publishing. Following the merger, News became associated with a substantial domestic publishing operation. Reference material describes the company as employing more than 500 people and accounting for about 60% of Austria's magazine advertising market. These figures indicate the scale of its commercial influence, although the supplied material does not specify the measurement date or provide audited financial context. News's business model has historically combined editorial content, circulation, and advertising across print magazines, with digital distribution extending the group's reach through online news. Ownership is another important part of the company's history. News is controlled by Gruner + Jahr, a printing and publishing company headquartered in Hamburg, and Gruner + Jahr is reported to hold 56% of the stock. This relationship connects the Austrian group to a larger European publishing organization while preserving News's national market identity. The available sources do not establish a precise founding year, identify individual founders or current executives, list every magazine in the portfolio, or confirm a current official website. They also do not provide enough information to document later strategic initiatives, product launches, scandals, or financial performance in a reliable way. The defensible historical outline is therefore centered on News's role in Austrian magazine publishing, the 2001 merger with the Kurier Group, its reported advertising-market position, and its control by Gruner + Jahr.

  • 2001

    Merger with the Kurier Group

    [1]

    News merged with the Kurier Group, which had published Profil. Seven Austrian newspapers challenged the transaction, but the challenge was unsuccessful.

Products and positioning

Austrian mass-market and current-affairs publishing group combining established weekly news magazines with a broader periodical portfolio and digital news distribution.

  • Weekly news magazine

    News

    News is the group's namesake weekly news magazine and one of its principal editorial properties. It is associated with current affairs and general-interest magazine publishing in Austria. The available reference material identifies it as one of the two leading weekly news magazines connected with the publishing group, but does not provide sufficiently detailed information about its launch date, circulation, editorial leadership, or current publication status.

  • Weekly news magazine

    Profil

    Profil is a prominent Austrian weekly news magazine associated with the News publishing group. Before the 2001 merger, it was published by the Kurier Group, making its transfer into the combined publishing structure a major part of News's corporate history. The supplied sources do not establish detailed information about its founding, circulation, editorial staff, or present ownership arrangements beyond its connection with the group.

  • Digital news publishing

    News online

    News online represents the group's digital publishing activity and extends its news presence beyond printed magazines. The available material confirms the existence of an online news offering but does not specify its launch date, platform structure, audience metrics, or current editorial organization.

Controversies

  • 2022

    News Corp discloses cyberattack affecting employee accounts and documents

    News Corp disclosed that digital intruders broke into email accounts and compromised data belonging to a limited number of employees, including journalists. The company said the breach was discovered in late January, and Mandiant said it had contained the breach. Mandiant assessed that those behind the activity had a China nexus; the source reports that this was an assessment, not a determination of responsibility.

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Brand decisions

  • 2001

    Merger with the Kurier GroupM&A

    Background

    News and the Kurier Group were competing interests in Austria's magazine market, with the Kurier Group publishing Profil before the transaction.

    Action taken

    The two publishing interests combined, bringing Profil into the merged News publishing structure.

    Aftermath

    Seven Austrian newspapers unsuccessfully challenged the merger. The transaction reinforced News's position in the Austrian magazine and advertising markets.

    • Seven Austrian newspapers — They challenged the merger, but the challenge was unsuccessful.

Recent events

  • Reported

    News Corp discloses cyberattack affecting employee accounts and documents[2]

    News Corp disclosed that digital intruders broke into email accounts and compromised data belonging to a limited number of employees, including journalists. The company said the breach was discovered in late January, and Mandiant said it had contained the breach. Mandiant assessed that those behind the activity had a China nexus; the source reports that this was an assessment, not a determination of responsibility.

  • Reported

    News UK launches News Live events business[3]

    News UK launched News Live, a standalone events business that will develop face-to-face branded experiences and manage the media group's existing events portfolios.

  • Reported

    News UK partners with environmental charities through grants[4]

    News Corp Giving awarded £50,000 grants to Trees for Cities and the Marine Conservation Society; the supported projects form part of year-long partnerships with the nominating companies.

  • Huawei announces planned cooperation with News UK[5]

    Huawei announced planned cooperation with News UK to distribute three News UK apps through Huawei Assistant features for Huawei phone users.

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Sources7 sources

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