"It Takes a Certain Amount of Courage to Make Decisions”
Not only the media landscape, but also the automotive industry is undergoing a process of transformation. If you want to keep up, you must be flexible. “We also must get rid of old habits,” says Alexander Koch, Editor-in-Chief Digital at AUTO ZEITUNG. Organizational talent and stress resistance are key qualities that he needs for his job.
Worksite: What do you actually do as Editor-in-Chief (Digital) of AUTO ZEITUNG?
Alexander Koch: We have been managing the AUTO ZEITUNG in a three-person editorial team since November 2021. We organize the day-to-day running of the editorial office, are responsible for personnel issues and set the content direction. The Editor-in-Chief Print is responsible for the printed edition, the Editor-in-Chief Digital for the online presence and all social media content. And the Cross-Media Editor-in-Chief is responsible for collaboration between the two areas and liaising with other departments in the publishing house. He also ensures that AUTO ZEITUNG speaks to our readers and the automotive industry with one voice. This has proved its worth.
What experience or talents should you have for the job?
To be a journalist, you need a passion for writing and researching, but for a specialist magazine like AUTO ZEITUNG you also need an interest in cars and mobility and a basic understanding of these topics. Other skills naturally depend on the role in the team. In the case of an Editor-in-Chief, you need an overview, organizational talent, stress resistance and a certain amount of courage to make decisions that don’t always please everyone. In addition, it is always an advantage to know your colleagues well enough to deploy and promote them according to their abilities.
The information carousel is spinning faster and faster. It is incredibly important not to fall behind.
- Alexander Koch
What appeals to you about your job?
The topic of cars, of course, but also working in a team and daily changing tasks.
What are the biggest challenges in your job?
The media industry is in a constant state of flux. The information carousel is spinning faster and faster. It is incredibly important not to fall behind. But it is also important to pay attention to quality despite the speed. This requires regularly scrutinising oneself, the structure, and the processes in the editorial department and also daring to try something new. And I haven’t even mentioned the automotive industry, which is itself undergoing the biggest transformation process in its history. We also must get rid of old habits such as our love of large-volume combustion engines or our aversion to touchscreens.
What has been your biggest flop on the job so far, and what have you learnt from it?
Flop is a big word, but transitioning into video is probably the one that comes closest. It was definitely longer and more difficult process to convert the content of AUTO ZEITUNG into moving images as continuously and in the variety that we do today. We collectively underestimated this. It is therefore even more pleasing that both the effort and patience have paid off.
Alexander’s tips for the next generation
Without exception, it all comes down to the right mix of talent and hard work. Getting tips and suggestions for improvement from more experienced colleagues is always a good tip. And never believe that you have finished learning. Curiosity and the drive to develop further are very important in this job. This applies not only to the content, but also to the entire industry. It is changing so much that you must be open to new developments and have the courage to take the plunge from time to time. What’s more, editorial teams are always happy to see newcomers taking the initiative: be it with fresh topics, formats or approaches!
Alexander Koch
… is Editor-in-Chief Digital at AUTO ZEITUNG. The magazine is part of the Bauer Media Group, a publishing group that produces almost 600 magazines and publishes in 16 countries. At AUTO ZEITUNG, car experts write for car fans – on many channels such as Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
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