🇩🇪 Der Spiegel

About Der Spiegel

Der Spiegel is published by SPIEGEL-Verlag Rudolf Augstein GmbH & Co. KG. The Spiegel Group is majority-owned by its employees through Mitarbeiter KG (50.5% of shares), with the Augstein family holding 24% and the international media group Bertelsmann (via RM Hamburg Holding GmbH) holding 25.5%. Rudolf Augstein, the founder, restructured the company in 1974 to include employee shareholding.

Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC) rates Der Spiegel as 'Left-Center Biased' due to editorial positions that slightly favor the left, but also gives it a 'High' rating for factual reporting. The outlet is known for its investigative journalism and has played a key role in uncovering political scandals. Notable controversies include the 1962 'Spiegel Affair,' where the magazine faced treason charges for an article critical of Germany's defense forces, which ultimately strengthened press freedom. In 2018, Der Spiegel was involved in a fabrication scandal when reporter Claas Relotius admitted to inventing facts and quotations in multiple stories, leading to accusations of institutional bias against the United States from some US officials. Der Spiegel publicly addressed the scandal, detailing the fraud and implementing corrective measures.