When I launched mehrlokal in Berlin, people thought I was crazy. Print is dying, local news is dying, why build a network of hyperlocal newspapers?
Because everyone was looking at it wrong.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
The opportunity nobody saw
Local journalism’s collapse left a massive gap, but not just for news. Small businesses lost their most trusted advertising channel. The neighborhood bakery, the family-run repair shop, the new yoga studio around the corner, they all suddenly had nowhere to reach their actual neighbors.
Facebook ads? Too broad. Google? Too competitive. Flyers? Straight to the trash.
I saw a business model hiding in plain sight: become the trusted local voice, then connect local businesses with local readers.
12 districts, 12 newspapers
Today, mehrlokal operates newspapers across Berlin, from spandauheute.de to neukoellnzeitung.de. Each site serves its specific district with news that actually matters to people living there.
But here’s what makes it work: reader-driven content.
Von Spandauern für Spandauer
Our articles come from the community (like in the case of SpandauHeute). When a reader tips us about the new döner place on their street, we write about it.
When someone asks why construction on their corner has stalled for months, we investigate. When a local shop celebrates 50 years in business, we tell their story.
This isn’t journalism from above. It’s journalism from within.
The result? Readers who actually engage. Businesses who see real customers walk through their doors. A sustainable model that doesn’t depend on clickbait or outrage.
What’s next
We’re expanding to cover all major Berlin districts, building comprehensive business directories, and developing premium partnerships with local entrepreneurs who want to reach their neighbors authentically.
Local news isn’t dead. It just needed a new business model.
And maybe someone stubborn enough to build it.
