“
Come to us
– we’re the
original
”
is to get people who access
information via the Internet, via the
mobile devices to come to us.
Is marketing a key part of that?
Marketing is very important, but
also distribution. It’s crucial to find
the right mixture between
marketing, distribution and
programming because if you don’t
get the distribution and the
marketing right you might have a
great programme but nobody’s
seeing or using it.
I think we are in a good place
because we already have a quality
brand. Deutsche Welle has a high
reputation in many parts of the
world, so we don’t have to re-
invent ourselves totally. But we
have to show that the reliable,
good, serious, non-biased
journalism from Germany comes in
a new package that can reach more
people and a younger audience.
There are many challenges facing
journalistic organisations at the
moment – how do they affect DW?
I think it’s getting much more
difficult to produce high quality
journalism. By that I mean the
content is in danger because there
are so many pressures – either from
terrorism or from propaganda or
from political systems that are
determined to silence free
journalism and free media on the
ground. The challenges are greater
now than maybe 20 years ago. So I
think there is also a role for DW
there to try to support free
journalism worldwide.
You’re funded by the German
government – how do you maintain
a good relationship with this
principal stakeholder?
Well, you have to do the things
you’re supposed to do by law.
Although we are funded by the
German government, by law we are
also independent. I have to say it’s a
very good situation we’re in
because the politicians in our
government also see this
independence as a highly valuable
asset. There is a consensus among
all parties and politicians that DW
has to be independent if it wants to
be a role model for others.
What future does radio have at DW?
We still offer radio products in
eleven languages, mainly in Africa.
Short wave in Africa is not going to
get bigger so we have to be on FM
and on the mobile devices, it is a
big challenge not to lose track there.
On the other hand we have to see
whether there are markets where
we should do more in radio. You
have to know in which region what
kind of information is needed.
Luckily we have a very advanced
market research department in DW,
so we can assess trends and react.
At the annual Global Media Forum
over 2000 people from all over the
world gather in Bonn – what does
the GMF mean for DW?
I think it’s something which is
really worth doing. It’s a great
meeting point to talk about
important issues and meet people
who have the same convictions.
With these debates we can mobilise
people and help them bring the
spirit of free media into other parts
of the world.
Germany as a country is keen on
international co-operation, so the
GMF is a good forum for trying to
bring people together. We really
think that co-operation is the key to
success and we want to co-operate
with our partners and the GMF is a
good place to do this.
Tell us about Peter Limbourg, the
man. Are you a news junkie?
I do have other interests but my
main interest at the moment,
besides my family, is the wellbeing
of DW. I probably was a news
junkie in the past but I’m now more
into how do we get this news,
whatever it is, to people and how
we can get better at doing it. I think
I’m a bit of a perfectionist, but
always trying to do what we are
doing with a bit of humour and fun
so that everybody who works here
is happy at work. That’s important,
to have an interesting work place
for everybody and to create an
atmosphere where people feel:
“Okay, yes we can do it. We can get
better and we can get into the
markets.” That’s what drives me now.
Peter Limbourg, thank you.
