Berlin-Exberliner, the go-to periodical for foreigners in the capital city, has been sold to Tip Berlin Media Group, which publishes the German-language tip magazine.
No price was announced in the purchase from co-founder and current Exberliner editor-in-chief Nadja Vancauberghe as well as co-founders Maurice Frank and Ioana Veleanu Botzoman.
"Running a small, independent city magazine with a focus on culture (all closed) and restaurants (take-away only) under pandemic conditions is very difficult. And this new constellation gives everyone involved more security and impact," tip wrote in its announcement.
Tip Berlin is owned by Yoram Roth und Robert Rischke, who have been building a city guide empire by assembling the city's competing titles - in pre-internet days the bibles of what was happening in Berlin but now often in direct competition with blogs and influencers.
Tip itself was a sibling publication of Berliner Zeitung (ergo, us) until it was sold by parent company Berliner Verlag to Raufeld in 2013, which then scooped up Zitty (sibling of our arch nemesis Tagesspiegel) as well. The duo was then sold to its current owners in 2016.
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"Personally, it feels like my teenage child is leaving home to do their own thing - proud but a little sad," said Exberliner co-founder Maurice Frank who - full disclosure - is now editor-in-chief of the Berliner Zeitung English Edition. "It makes a lot of sense for Exberliner to join forces with a long-standing Berlin magazine like tip as the local media business isn't getting any easier during the pandemic."
Exberliner's new owners shuttered Zitty early this year as a victim of corona. Tip had been offering English-language content on its website and a special English-only Facebook page.
Exberliner was founded in 2002 in a small and somewhat grubby office in Prenzlauer Berg.