The East German press during the political transformation of East Germany

Abstract

This study presents a first look at the degree of journalistic change which took place in the former East Germany during fall 1989. Specifically, it is asked if, affected by glasnost and sweeping political reforms, East German journalism indeed changed or simply continued to embrace socialist journalistic news values during the last months of 1989. It is also asked to what extent former control mechanisms still existed in the East German print media during 1989 and how journalists coped with the new political situation and sudden journalistic freedom. The findings suggest that most journalistic changes were directed by the government and the SED. Newspapers reacted to political demands from the party and were never at the "forefront" of political change.