Have you ever paid attention to the contents of these little screens that are installed in the U-Bahn? On newer train models only upcoming stations are highlighted but older models still have the so-called “Berliner Fenster” infotainment system installed. Commuters can find useful information like weather forecasts or the occasional tiny German lesson on them, but they are also home to news articles from varying sources. Only that these “varying sources” are nearly all owned by the same right-wing news conglomerate, Axel Springer SE.
Axel Springer SE is the same company that publishes Bild, Welt, or B.Z., essentially making money by inciting hatred against migrants, disabled people, leftists, and anyone really who doesn’t fit into their conservative agenda. After all, negative attention on marginalized groups is driving up sales and supports their antiquated power structures. These U-Bahn Screens sport headlines such as “Doping Chinese steals third place from our Swimming Queen” (German: “Doping-Chinesin klaut unserer Schwimm-Königin Bronze”) and are generally using their lever of the attention economy to push far-right talking points.
Axel Springer SE, its financial contributors, and high-ranking leaders (like Matthias Döpfner) have also repeatedly secretly or explicitly lobbied for fossil fuels, as well as neo-liberal parties such as FDP. Furthermore, they have profited off of Israel’s illegal occupation of the West Bank by selling real estate over their platform Yad2. All in all, it’s truly one of Germany’s most harmful media companies, operating on a global scale to uphold the crumbling status quo.
Though it has recently been announced that their news outlet, Welt, will be replaced by Tagesspiegel, the Berliner Fenster continues to serve as a multiplier of conservative print media in one of Europe’s most highly frequented public transportation systems. This seems especially absurd because the BVG is 1) directly financially supported by the state of Berlin and 2) officially running their PR campaign on virtues of love and open-mindedness. While they are actively trying (and struggling) to win young people from explicitly diverse backgrounds as drivers for their various understaffed train and bus lines, these same individuals are the main victims of conservative propaganda. Their livelihoods and current safety are increasingly endangered by the prominent shift towards more explicit “anti-woke” violence, fueled especially by Axel Springer media outlets and their counterparts in other parts of the world.
Not all is lost, though. Multiple groups have realized this specific issue in Berlin and have had enough of being bombarded with divisive hateful rhetoric on their U-Bahn adventures through Berlin.
The petition “Throw Springer out the window” (German: “Werft Springer aus dem Fenster”) is currently amassing pressure on this two-faced system. They are aiming to have Axel Springer content removed from all these screens, by directly putting the BVG’s self-proclaimed image of virtuosity into focus and highlighting the harsh differences between their marketing endeavours and the reality Berliners have to read every single day in the tunnels of this vibrant city.
The BVG’s official response so far has been to refer to the company “mcrud,” which is officially running the infotainment system Berliner Fenster. The petition campaign is not being deterred from this strategy of infinite delay and supposed missing decision-making power, and has rightly selected the BVG as the main target of pressure, the company desperately trying to portray itself as relatable to the common people.
Simultaneously, another campaign called “SpringerOut” (German: “SpringerRaus”) is creating viral reels on Instagram, highlighting the absurdity of supporting Springer media within this divisive political climate and providing free stickers in selected Spätis as a way for people to easily join the action. You might have already seen their designs next to the well-known (and definitely well-respected) yellow BVG stickers asking you to not drink or eat within the train.
Pressure is rising on the BVG to not shy away from their responsibility of creating a public space free from far-right hate.
The petition has amassed over 25,000 signatures within just a few weeks and urgently needs your signature as well to continue its virality.
If this campaign is successful it could very well be a catalyst for increasing pressure against this monolith of conservative media. You can easily support the cause by adding your signature to the petition, following SpringerRaus on Instagram and of course bringing up the topic with your peers.
