“Continuing on the digital transformation path with respect for our mission”
Mediahuis is one of the largest media companies in the Benelux, with famous brands like De Standaard, NRC, Het Nieuwsblad and De Telegraaf in its portfolio. “Independent journalism is our priority. That’s how it’s described in our company’s mission statement: we contribute to society through independent journalism,” says CEO Gert Ysebaert at the Belgian headquarters in Antwerp, when we ask him about what drives his company.
A belief in journalism
Thanks in part to the definitive acquisition of Telegraaf Media Groep, Mediahuis has embarked on an exciting path. Ysebaert has played an important role in guiding the company through this intense period of negotiations. And the result is there: Belgium’s Mediahuis is standing strong in Flanders and the Netherlands.
“In total, apart from other brands, we have fifteen news titles in our portfolio,” says Ysebaert. “They form the core of our company but are very diverse. We span the whole spectrum: with typical highbrow brands such as De Standaard and NRC on the one hand and more wide-ranging papers such as De Telegraaf and Het Nieuwsblad on the other.”
All these papers are, he stresses, connected by a fundamental belief in journalism. “The pluralism of our media comes first. That is our role,” he says.
The challenge: digitalisation
In this exciting period, the traditional media also are under pressure, he acknowledges. “That’s already the case on the business-economic front because of the rise of free news, initiated by the digitalisation that took place with the breakthrough of the internet. What we have also seen emerging in recent years is populism and the phenomenon of fake news.
“That’s why, to answer these challenges, we have to continue our own digital transformation with respect for our mission,” he says. “We have taken a positive role and it is working well. The digital subscriptions for De Standaard and NRC, for example, are increasing nicely. In the United States, you can see the digital progress of a newspaper like the New York Times. Gradually, consumers start to realise that you have to pay for quality, and that includes online.”
Brand safety
He doesn’t agree that news brands will soon be obsolete because of the rise of entities such as Facebook and Google. “I’ve noticed that the aspect of brand safety is increasingly playing a role among advertisers. In any case, we can offer them a good quality, reliable environment with our brands.”
Although the successful continuation of the digital transformation inside Mediahuis remains the main challenge for the coming years, the classic print product is far from written off. “Did you know that, across all titles, we have never sold more weekend subscriptions for print than we do today?” he asks. “Though it has to be said that these are often sold in combination with a digital subscription for weekday editions.”
Long-term vision
The long-term vision remains true to the Mediahuis ethos. “In our three shareholder groups there are parties who have been with us since the 1950s. Such a long-term perspective forms a healthy foundation,” he says. “It’s good to know that we have brands in-house that are more than a hundred years old. That is also part of my role as CEO: taking care of them and taking these brands to the next level. Our ambition and goal is to continue growing, as we have done with the acquisitions in the Netherlands. But we want to grow at the right pace. The purpose will always be to combine our profitability and our business activity with our social mission.”
Own staff
Last but not least, Ysebaert is keen to mention the people who work for Mediahuis. “Apart from our unique and distinctive news brands, it’s our people and their competences that make the difference,” he says. “By continuing to grow in an international perspective, you also offer them chances.”
