the history on BAUER media

1. BAUER
THE HISTROY AND FACTS ABOUT THE MEDIA

2. THE HISTORY
• The business became part of the Bauer Media Group, Europe’s largest privately-
owned media group, in 2008. Founded in Hamburg in 1875 and now in its fifth
generation of family ownership, the Bauer Media Group operates in 20 countries
including the UK, Germany, Poland, Australia, New Zealand and the USA and has
11,000 employees worldwide.

3. THE OWNERS
• There is a good cast of characters, although the Bauers are keen on keeping their
lives private, in contrast with some of their magazines, which love tittle-tattle. (The
French edition of Closer, which published those topless pictures of the Duchess of
Cambridge, is published separately by Italy's Mondadori under licence from
Bauer.)
• Heinz Bauer, 72, is the chairman of the German media giant, which dates back to
1875. Forbes estimates his wealth at $1.8bn (£1.1bn). But the father of four is
taking an increasingly backseat role, letting his daughter Yvonne, aged around 36,
take over as chief executive. She is said to have majority control.

4. THEIR FIRSTS
• 1991 saw H Bauer's first TV listings publishing with the launch of TV
Quick magazine. (Prior to the de-regulation of TV listings in March 1991, BBC
listings had been restricted by law to Radio Times and ITV/Channel 4 listings
to TV Times) TV Quick ceased publication in July 2010. In 1999 H Bauer
launched TV Choice at a much lower price point than other titles on the
market. TV Choice overtook its main competitor in the February 2008 audited
ABCs and has been the number one weekly newsstand magazine in the UK since.
In September 2003, H Bauer launched Total TV Guide to cover the increasing
number of programmes available on Freeview and satellite or cable services.