news aktuell Buys Zimpel Media-Daten GmbH, Marking the Beginning of a New Era for Both Companies

AsiaNet 52636

HAMBURG, Germany, Apr. 4/PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

    - Cross-reference: Picture is available at

http://www.presseportal.de/pm/6344/2444439 -

    dpa subsidiary news aktuell GmbH today announced it has acquired 100 % of

shares in the Zimpel Media-Daten GmbH, joining forces of two leading German

p.r. service providers. Zimpel Media-Daten GmbH will be continued as a separate

entity, and the trademark "Zimpel" will stay in use. So far, the

Wiesbaden-based Zimpel Media Daten GmbH has been part of the Springer Science

and Business Media specialist publishing company.

    (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130404/607261-a )

    (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130404/607261-b )

    "The Zimpel acquisition marks the beginning of a new era for our company,"

news aktuell's General Manager Carl-Eduard Meyer declared in Hamburg today. "We

are all witnessing the biggest development step in our company's history since

our own acquisition by dpa in 1994. It's a very special moment in time for me

as the founder of news aktuell," he added. "We at news aktuell are really

looking forward to joining forces with Zimpel in serving the PR and

communication markets in future."

    Through the Zimpel acquisition, news aktuell has improved innovation and

growth conditions. Further, it confirms news aktuell's claim to be the number

one service provider in Germany for targeting journalists.

    General Manager Frank Stadthoewer of news aktuell added: "We are taking

over a profitable business with a long tradition and great reputation. Together

with the persons in charge at Zimpel GmbH, we will promote enhancements in both

companies. Both service portfolios perfectly complement one another."

    The two market leaders are pursuing a common approach with the acquisition.

news aktuell is planning to expand its core PR distribution business, whereas

Zimpel brings in its long-term experience and extensive expertise in addressing

specialist journalists.

    "We are extraordinarily happy about having become a part of the dpa company

group. news aktuell is an ideal partner and has been an extremely successful PR

service provider for almost 25 years," Laurin Paschek, General Manager of

Zimpel Media-Daten GmbH pointed out. "Our businesses are a perfect match. I am

sure we will develop top quality tools and innovative services together."

    news aktuell will continue the Zimpel Media Daten GmbH as a separate

business, including the use of the Zimpel brand, and General Manager Dr. Laurin

Paschek will remain in his current position. The transaction parties have

agreed not to disclose any information on the purchase price. news aktuell will

continue not only the successful journalist database business, but also the

profitable media data products.

    About news aktuell:

    news aktuell is a subsidiary of the German newsagency Deutsche

Presse-Agentur (dpa) and offers innovative tools and solutions for distribution

of PR material, addressing journalists, online monitoring and multimedia

productions. Companies from all industries use the distribution services of

news aktuell in order to provide daily media as well as trade press with their

PR material and business information. In addition, news aktuell's "epic

relations" PR software contains a total of more than 700,000 editorial contacts

worldwide. Social Media Monitoring experts rely on news aktuell's "media sonar"

tool. To round off its portfolio, the dpa subsidiary produces videos, radio

pieces and microsites

for its clients.

    http://www.newsaktuell.de

    About Zimpel Media-Daten GmbH:

    Zimpel Media-Daten GmbH consists of the renowned publishing companies

Zimpel and Media-Daten. It provides marketing, PR and communications industries

with expert information, database and software solutions. Its flagship products

are the internet-based "Zimpel Online" database containing 120,000 editorial

contacts from Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as the media and tariff

database "Media-Daten Online" with all necessary planning-relevant data of

18,000 different media. Rounding out its product range, Zimpel Media-Daten GmbH

offers comprehensive services as well as customer trainings.

    http://www.zimpel.de

    Contact:

    news aktuell GmbH

    Leiter Unternehmenskommunikation

    Jens Petersen

    Telefon: +49(0)40-4113-32843

    Fax: +49(0)40-4113-32855

    petersen@newsaktuell.de

    http://twitter.com/jenspetersen

    Zimpel Media-Daten GmbH

    Geschaftsfuehrer

    Dr. Laurin Paschek

    Telefon: +49(0)611-7878-249

    laurin.paschek@zimpel.de

    SOURCE: news aktuell GmbH