18.08.2020 – 12:37

dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH

The numbers for 2019 are in: dpa group remains on course for growth, increases revenue to more than 140 million euros for the first time

Hamburg (ots)

The German Press-Agency has presented its figures for the 2019 financial year: dpa and its subsidiaries earned a revenue of 142.5 million euros, up from the year before, when that number was at 139.8 million euros. Revenue for the agency's core business, dpa, has remained nearly the same, at 92.9 million euros. The financial year ended with a profit of 1.3 million euros (2018: 1.5 million euros). These numbers were announced today at the 71st dpa shareholders' meeting in Hamburg by CEO Peter Kropsch and Editor-in-Chief Sven Gösmann.

"The results presented here are a solid foundation from which we can overcome the current challenges posed by the coronavirus. That said, vigilance and caution will remain high on the agenda in the coming weeks - without, however, deviating from our course," said CEO Peter Kropsch. "Our economic success shows that dpa is well-equipped to actively shape the digital transformation for ourselves, for our clients and for our owners," continued Peter Kropsch.

At the end of 2019 a new pricing model put dpa on track for the future. In the new, significantly simplified billing mode, dpa's Basisdienst is available for all analogue and digital products. The basis for assessment is an integrated total reach per customer across all playout channels. Some clients already receive dpa-Services where the new pricing model is being applied.

In addition, dpa has reached important milestones in its digital transformation process. The marketplace for content and services, dpa ID, is meanwhile available online. At its core is a wide-reaching platform concept that also allows businesses outside dpa to be present on the marketplace. The dpa ID app was launched in the previous fiscal year, and shortly afterwards the dpa ID partner programme. Roughly 12,000 media and communication professionals already have a personal dpa ID, with which they can read content and use its digital apps.

Beyond the creation of the marketplace, the year 2019 was marked by various innovations, for example dpa's rolling out of a new version of its scheduling software Agenda on the market, which helps editorial offices and communications departments plan their work. Several data projects, the expansion of the dpa Shop - over which ready-to-publish products from dpa can be accessed - and additional news offerings in French or Polish were also in focus.

"In these times of the coronavirus, dpa has shown its extraordinary significance with its diverse offerings. It was and is a decisive factor for the successful reporting of our customers," says Editor-in-Chief Sven Gösmann. "In addition, we have also succeeded in advancing our news agency in the important growth markets of video and audio," Sven Gösmann continued.

With its takeover of the video news agency TeleNewsNetwork (TNN), dpa now offers moving images for TV broadcasters and online platforms that span the area of news, society, politics, weather and miscellaneous. In addition, dpa has also entered the market with a new podcast offering and produces journalistic formats on behalf of customers on topics including tourism, football or contemporary history. Special attention was also paid to the further development and image of dpa's classic services.

dpa's subsidiaries also delivered positive results and revenue figures. With its digital products, dpa-infocom once again succeeded in noticeably raising its yearly revenue. The news aktuell GmbH, which has specialized in offering solutions for communications departments and PR agencies, made a significant contribution to the economic success of the dpa group for the financial year 2019. Stable sales and results by the dpa Picture-Alliance GmbH also made a major contribution to the group's overall outcome.

The effects of the coronavirus crisis have also affected dpa and posed unprecedented challenges for the agency. Almost the entire staff of the dpa group began working remotely from mid-March. Small units, to which CEO and editor-in-chief belonged, were in charge of the locations in so-called system-maintaining operations. The employees at dpa and its subsidiaries showed a high degree of flexibility and accepted this unforeseen situation in an impressive manner. Because of this, editorial production was even able to be increased, and the media continued to be provided with vital news in the form of words, images and audio.

Additionally, dpa acted quickly and unconventionally by providing the journalists with agency material in their home offices by using new ways of delivery. So far, dpa has come through this crisis in good shape, and despite difficult conditions, has continued to implement important decisions for the future.

About dpa

The German Press Agency (dpa) was founded in 1949 and is one of the world's leading independent news agencies. dpa supplies media outlets, businesses and other organizations with editorial content, including text, photos, videos, graphics, audio and other formats. As an international agency, dpa reports in four languages: German, English, Spanish and Arabic. The company has around 1,000 journalists in more than 150 locations in Germany and abroad. Its shareholders are 177 German media companies. Staff work according to the principles outlined in the dpa statute: independently from ideologies, businesses and governments. The central editing desk, under the leadership of editor-in-chief Sven Gösmann, is located in Berlin. The management team, headed by chairman Peter Kropsch, is based in Hamburg. The chairman of the Supervisory Board is David Brandstätter (Main-Post GmbH, Würzburg).

Internet: www.dpa.com (German, English, Spanish, Arabic)

Social media: www.dpa.com/de/social-media

Pressekontakt:

German Press Agency dpa
Jens Petersen
Head of Corporate Communications
phone: +49 40 4113 32843
pressestelle@dpa.com

Original content of: dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH, transmitted by news aktuell