Let's get started then

Going forward, the Lëtzebuerger Journal will be led by a trio. Daniel Nepgen, former programme director of RTL Radio Lëtzebuerg, initiated the project of a 100% digital Journal in the summer with a clear objective. As the new director, he is responsible for the strategic direction together with Lynn Warken.

This also includes the cooperation with strategic partners. In addition to her 14 years of radio experience, including three years as deputy programme director at Eldoradio, Lynn specialised in digital media management as part of an executive MBA and develops audiovisual formats at the Journal as content director.

Melody Hansen worked in local journalism in Luxembourg for nine years, and her degree in online journalism gave her an early orientation towards modern journalism. The new editor-in-chief of the Lëtzebuerger Journal attaches great importance to the independence of the editorial team and wants to emphasise the human aspect of the content. The team of journalists will focus on the relevant topics of our time.

A glance into the future

Besides numerous challenges that digital journalism faces (print journalism, to be honest, faces considerably more), there are at least as many opportunities. One of the new Journal guidelines revolves around the positive view on topics – so let’s keep a positive eye on what lies ahead.

Digital means diverse. Media products no longer need to be clearly separated from each other on the internet, but can be creatively mixed. A story can be more than just written down. It can be narrated using high-quality photo series, audio snippets from interview and short videos – and thus be made much more personal, emotional and authentic. The Lëtzebuerger Journal will combine these elements.

With a leadership that is two-thirds female and a team that consists of equal numbers of women and men, the Lëtzebuerger Journal wants to set an example. Even in 2020, this is anything but self-evident – especially in Luxembourg’s media world. It is about time that the media no longer just report on gender equality, but actively and consciously implement it.

We'll lead the way

Online journalism is often associated with fast news. In that setting, a journalist should ideally sit down at their laptop while the press conference is still in progress and send his or her text to the editorial office no later than five minutes after the end of the last speech. All too often, this means that there's no time to pay attention to details. We do it differently. We ask the questions that only come up when you take the time to be curious.

The Lëtzebuerger Journal is particularly concerned about the human aspect. How does a high-level decision affect the individual everyday life? "Human" also means inclusive and diverse. We want to give a voice to those who are not being heard. We want them to share their personal experiences and emotions so that our readers, listeners and viewers are able to understand – so that a bigger understanding arises in our society.

Talking about inclusion and diversity: The new Journal’s content will be published in English, French and German as often as possible so that a broad public can have access to it. And we practice gender-inclusive language. This may seem strange to some at first, but it makes perfect sense – that's a promise. Language is powerful. The gender asterisk includes those who feel that they don't belong to a specific gender. It is a matter of including everyone. This is our responsibility.

We are not perfect. Not when it comes to gendering, not when it comes to translating. But we are open to other opinions and ready to change ours if there is good reason for doing so. And if we have made a mistake, we are not afraid to acknowledge it. We promise to always do our best. Come join us.

Let's go digital!