| Newspaper Name: |
Bild |
| Newspaper name in English: |
The Picture |
| Alternative Names: |
Bild-Zeitung |
| Owner: |
Axel Springer SE |
| Country / Region: |
Germany (Berlin) |
| Language: |
Deutch |
| Format type: |
Newspaper |
| Category: |
Yellow press |
| Political alignment: |
Conservative |
| Frequency: |
Daily |
| Publication Years (print version): |
1952 — now (71 year) |
| Publication Years (digital version): |
1996 — now (27 years) |
| Circulation: |
1,500,000 (2015) |
| Official Pages: |
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| Official Apps: |
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| Website: |
bild.de [read with translation] |
|
The «Bild» newspaper was founded in 1952 by local journalist Axel Springer. In the post-war period, all German publications were under strict censorship control of the occupation forces of Britain and the United States. At the same time, it was possible to find a sufficient number of popular American and British publications in the country, which later became the prototypes for new newspapers. By the 1950s, control had noticeably decreased and independent publications began to appear in the country. The «Bild» newspaper was based on the British experience of creating sensational newspapers, with the best representatives of which (for example, the «
Daily Mirror») Springer managed to get acquainted in Hamburg. The journalist decided to collect in novaya gazeta all the most interesting and sensational things from everyday life in post-war Germany.
The first issue of the newspaper was published on June 24, 1952 with a total circulation of 455 thousand copies, it consisted of 4 pages and was distributed free of charge. The Bild newspaper was considered conservative for a long time, paying much attention to life behind the Berlin Wall, in the GDR. After the unification of Germany, the newspaper became more centrist. Initially, there was no subscription to the newspaper, it was sold freely in major cities of Germany. For its distribution, special newspaper vending machines were actively used, located in places with a busy passenger flow: at railway stations, public transport stops, intersections. Today, the newspaper is printed in several major cities in Germany in the form of 32 different regional versions. Bild is also available in Sweden, Spain, Italy, and Turkey as a foreign publication.
«Bild» was first available on the Internet in 1996 under the «Bild online» brand. Recently, in the wake of the development of the Internet, the electronic version of Bild has the widest coverage among all German newspapers. Bild.de It is the largest news and entertainment portal in Germany. To access the online newspaper from mobile devices and smartphones, there is a special Bild mobile application.
Like other representatives of the tabloid press, Bild regularly receives criticism: for its lack of control over information sources, for its aggressive methods of presenting information in the pursuit of popularity, for intrusions into personal life, for inconsistency in its opinions, for the primitive content of articles, for violations of the Press Honor Code... The magazine's image is as negative as it is popular.
Modern «Bild» is not only a magazine, it is a real publishing brand in Germany. Axel Springer SE also publishes in Germany many other newspapers and magazines: Bild am Sonntag, Bild der Frau, Bildwoche, Auto Bild, Sport Bild, Computer Bild, Auto Bild Motorsport, Autobild Sportscars, Audio Video Foto Bild, Gesundheits Bild, BIKE Bild, Reise Bild, Tier Bild, Bild Politik.
«Bild» magazine is so popular that many other publications try to be similar to it or are created based on its experience: the Austrian «
Kronen Zeitung», the Swiss «
LOOK», and the Polish «
Fakt».
