RASCH - Ringier Axel Springer Media

Ringier Axel Springer Media AG (RASCH) was a significant media enterprise established on July 1, 2010, as a 50-50 joint venture between the Swiss Ringier AG and the German Axel Springer SE. Headquartered in Zurich, the venture was formed to consolidate and expand the two companies' operations in the growth markets of Central and Eastern Europe. The parent companies brought extensive media legacies to the partnership; Ringier AG was founded in Switzerland in 1833, while Axel Springer SE was established in Germany in 1946.

The joint venture quickly became one of the largest media companies in the region, managing a vast portfolio of over 100 print titles and more than 70 online offerings. Its business model focused on both traditional print media, where it held a market-leading position in the tabloid newspaper segment, and a strong push towards digital expansion. The company generated revenue through advertising, print sales, and its growing digital activities, which included news portals, online classifieds, and e-commerce services. A key strategic objective from its inception was to aggressively grow its digital business. This was demonstrated by major acquisitions, such as purchasing a 75% stake in the Polish online portal Onet.pl in 2012. By the first half of 2021, digital activities accounted for approximately 85% of the joint venture's adjusted EBITDA.

In a significant strategic shift in 2021, the structure of the joint venture was substantially altered. Ringier AG acquired Axel Springer's shares in the joint venture's operations in Hungary, Serbia, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, taking 100% ownership in these countries. Axel Springer retained a minority stake in the Slovakian business. This move was part of Ringier's strategy to strengthen its portfolio of digital marketplaces and media brands in the region, while Axel Springer decided to focus on larger strategic markets like Germany, the US, and Poland. Consequently, the successful joint venture in Poland, Grupa Ringier Axel Springer Polska, continues to operate with both partners, managing prominent brands like Onet, Fakt, and Business Insider Polska. The original broad-based Central and Eastern European joint venture, RASCH, ceased to exist in its initial form following this realignment.

Keywords: Ringier Axel Springer Media, RASCH, Central European media, Eastern European media, media joint venture, digital media, print media, Axel Springer, Ringier AG, Grupa Ringier Axel Springer Polska, Onet.pl, Blic, Fakt, media acquisition, digital publishing, online classifieds, media portfolio, Zurich, news portals, tabloid newspapers, European media market