The former head of ARD’s “Tagesthemen,” Helge Fuhst, is switching to the Axel Springer media group. The gay journalist will assume the chair of the editorial leadership of the so-called Premium Group as soon as possible, the company announced. The group includes the brands Welt, Politico Deutschland, and Business Insider Deutschland.
The former editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard, is stepping down from his duties with immediate effect for health reasons. This was also announced by Axel Springer.
Fuhst has been part of the ARD “Tagesthemen” anchor team since 2020. He was also deputy editor-in-chief of ARD-aktuell, the central news desk at Norddeutscher Rundfunk, and thus involved in the responsibility for the “Tagesschau.” Previously, he served as the programming director for the Phoenix television channel.
In media circles, the move is viewed as surprising, since Springer journalists often criticize the public broadcaster and do not infrequently publish texts hostile to queer people. For about a week it had been known that Fuhst would leave the ARD. He had previously unsuccessfully bid to succeed Tom Buhrow as director of WDR.
Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner stated in the release: “With Helge Fuhst, an outstanding journalist and an excellent media manager will take over the editorial leadership of the Premium Group.” At the same time, Döpfner thanked Burgard for his work.
Fuhst was awarded in 2021 by the PrOut@Work Foundation in the “PROUT in Media Art Culture” category with first place (TheColu.mn reported). He is married and lives in Hamburg.
