viadoo CEO on Newsroom in Handelsblatt magazine

“We need to talk!” – that’s the cover story of the latest issue of changement! issue of the trade magazine for change management from the Handelsblatt Media Group. And this call for communication could hardly be more apt: in the new issue, renowened communication experts and company representatives show how crucial successful communication is in change processes. Among them is Dr. Dominik Faust, founder of viadoo, with an article on the “Virtual Change / Corporate Newsroom.”

1. Communication: More than just a success factor

In the editorial, changement! editor-in-chief Jan C. Weilbacher makes it clear that communication is an obvious success factor in change – but is still too often neglected. This is a criticism that many communications managers can only confirm. One thing is certain: if you want to survive in times of transformation, you need dialogue-oriented, integrated communication.

In his article, Dominik Faust describes how companies can use the logic of modern media houses with cutting-edge newsroom setups for their communication work. Just as publishers have replaced their once vertically organized departments with cross-media newsrooms, companies can also break down silo structures and professionalize communication with a corporate newsroom.

The goals:

• Reach target groups with relevant content.
• Build trust through interaction.
• Strengthen brand perception.
• Reduce internal resistance to transformation processes.

This requires

• cross-departmental topic planning,
• tailor-made content production,
• cross-channel publishing,
• a high level of responsiveness to current developments.

2. Virtual corporate newsroom idea of 2012

What makes it special: Faust not only presents the familiar physical newsroom model, but also a virtual alternative that he outlined back in 2012 at the Future Media Summit in Hamburg – a decade before the pandemic and remote work. The idea: a virtual newsroom without a team space, but with central topic and schedule planning in the cloud. A structured but flexible environment for change communication – with lower resource consumption.

Advantages of the Virtual Change Newsroom:

• Scalable at every organizational level (team, department, executive board).
• Can be shut down again after project completion.
• Can also be used as a blueprint for physical newsrooms.

The coronavirus crisis, if nothing else, has shown that virtual structures not only work, but can sometimes even be the better choice – especially for medium-sized companies.

3. Real-life example: When change fails

In this article, Dominik Faust describes a real-life example: A medium-sized company with over 400 employees is planning an open-plan office. A factual, internal letter of protest to the CEO is met not with dialogue, but with pressure and threats of legal action. Trust get’s lost, resistance grows – the change initiative fails at an early stage. Conclusion: Those who fail to communicate change effectively often fail thier projects – despite good intentions and ambitions.

In addition to viadoo, communication experts from E.ON, the insurance group Die Bayerische, Ratepay, and METRO AG also share their strategies in this issue of changement!. This shows that companies of all sizes and in all industries are increasingly recognizing that communication must be at the heart of any change.

4. Facts about the Handesblatt Newsroom

Speaking of Handelsblatt: The business and financial newspaper from Düsseldorf also works in a newsroom, of course. According to editor-in-chief and head of digital Sebastian Matthes, the team comprises around 200 editors, reporters, and graphic designers. They work around the clock, seven days a week, reporting on all topics that affect the economy and politics. The editors are supported by reporters from Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, and Hamburg, as well as around 40 foreign correspondents.

In line with the motto “digital first,” the newsroom feeds stories, infographics, videos, and podcasts to digital channels throughout the day. The most important factor here is the time slot at which a particular piece of content achieves the greatest potential reach on a defined channel. In the evening, the night shift in New York and San Francisco takes over the assessment and distribution of news – with a special focus on news and developments on the markets in America and Asia.

Since 2020, the print edition has been produced by a separate team within the newsroom. It compiles the print edition from all the digital content of the day.