Staying strong in turbulent times

2024 was another good year for Mediahuis. Our major and smaller news brands continued to develop well, while our new ventures in radio and marketplaces saw growth. Consequently, our financial results remained solid. Thanks to our strong performance, we are now among the top performers  in our sector in Europe.

However, this satisfaction is tempered by the awareness that we are operating in an increasingly fragile environment. We face the challenge of reaching a new generation that has yet to find their way to nuanced and paid journalism. We are also dealing with the continuous rise of many costs, particularly in the distribution of printed newspapers. Additionally, we see how those in power in various countries instrumentalise polarisation and the undermining of trust in the media to strengthen their grip on the electorate.

Independent journalism is coming under increasing pressure around the world. It is particularly worrying that major companies in the United States have shown a lack of backbone by simply giving in to the first attempts at intimidation. Safeguarding business interests suddenly outweighed long-held principles, and the speed at which certain previously proclaimed values were abandoned was downright shocking. Even within some European Union countries, the independence and diversity of the media have been under strain for some time, putting the rule of law itself at risk.

Mediahuis does not passively accept these developments. To engage younger generations, we are making significant investments in new forms of journalism and innovative projects. We are doing this while keeping a disciplined grip on our costs, even if that sometimes means making difficult decisions. After all, financial stability is a necessary condition for safeguarding our editorial independence.

We also continuously question ourselves and have initiated concrete measures to assess and strengthen our readers’ trust in the quality of our reporting. Finally, we remain the driving force behind Pluralis, a fund we co-founded with several partners to protect the diversity of independent and critical voices in those European countries where press freedom is or has been under threat.

This annual review highlights all these initiatives. They give me confidence in our future. Even in an increasingly complex European environment, Mediahuis, with its more than 4,400 talented employees, continues to stand firm and invest in the future. This is the only way we can continue to fulfil our societal mission.

Thomas Leysen
Chairman