Business News
Digital Competence Center
Tuesday 09. June 2009 - Despite the difficult market climate, Hubert Burda Media continues to invest in establishing and expanding its digital media offering. June marks the opening of the companys new Munich-based Media Innovation Lab (I-Lab).
It is to serve as a central competence center for the development and continuous optimization of the internet-based media offering of the German publishing houses.
This innovation unit, assigned to the area of responsibility of Board Member Publishing Philipp Welte, pools the groups full range of digital media capacities – from technology to design and development. “In the digital world, technological expertise complements editorial creativity as a key success factor of media products. This is why we decided to pool these competences and capacities in a central unit that will support the publishing houses in implementing their digital market strategies,” says Welte.
The I-Lab is to coordinate and synchronize all digital media offerings of the publishing division, pool competences and drive synergies. While it also develops own digital business models, the units focus is on optimizing the performance and subsequently the marketability of the publishing houses websites.
The I-Lab is based at the heart of Hubert Burda Media, on the sixth floor of Arabellastraße 23 in Munich. To expand the primarily content-driver media offering, the I-Lab assumes responsibility for the recently acquired Lycos IQ, which will be developed further.
The foundation of the Media Innovation Lab is one element in Hubert Burda Medias Change program and supports the strategic assignment “Innovate”. The program for the areas Publishing, Marketing and Sales and the three strategic dimensions “Concentrate, Integrate and Innovate” have been initiated by Board Member Publishing Philipp Welte. The main goal is to guide the business division Publishing through the recession successfully and – despite the revenue crisis – to align it with the convergent future.