German media giant ditches weather platform in surprise €undisclosed deal

ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE announced December 15, 2025, its decision to sell wetter.com to FUNKE Mediengruppe, ending the broadcaster's quarter-century ownership of one of Europe's leading weather platforms. The transaction, structured as an asset deal, transfers the entire wetter.com operation including its workforce to the Essen-based media company, which continues building its digital portfolio through strategic acquisitions.

The sale marks a decisive pivot for ProSiebenSat.1, which has increasingly narrowed its focus to entertainment content while divesting digital assets acquired during previous expansion efforts. FUNKE Mediengruppe gains a profitable digital property reaching millions of users across 15 European markets, adding weather services to a portfolio that already spans health portals, lifestyle brands, and regional news operations.

According to ProSiebenSat.1's press release, the company structured the deal as an asset sale with workforce transfer provisions. Neither party disclosed financial terms. The transaction requires approval from cartel authorities, with completion and subsequent deconsolidation expected during the first quarter of 2026.

Florian Hirschberger, CEO of Commerce & Ventures at ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, characterized the divestiture as advancing the company's strategic concentration. ProSiebenSat.1 co-founded wetter.com in 2000 as a media partnership, acquired full ownership in 2014, and integrated the platform into its digital division. Hirschberger acknowledged the broadcaster's role developing wetter.com into a sector leader through television promotion and digital campaigns.

The weather platform operates from offices in Konstanz, Berlin, and Munich, delivering comprehensive weather information through its flagship German service and country-specific domains including tiempo.es and weather24.com. The company maintains presence across the DACH region and 15 European markets total, positioning itself among the continent's two largest online weather services by reach.

ProSiebenSat.1 leveraged its broadcasting infrastructure to accelerate wetter.com's growth trajectory. Television advertising and digital marketing campaigns established brand recognition throughout the DACH region, according to the company statement. This promotional advantage enabled rapid audience expansion beyond typical startup growth patterns for digital services.

Stephan Thurm, FUNKE's digital chief and Executive Board member, described the acquisition as a significant milestone for FUNKE Digital and among the company's largest transactions in recent years. Weather information consistently ranks among the most requested topics across FUNKE's online portals, creating natural synergies with existing digital properties. The acquisition complements FUNKE's journalistic brands while expanding service offerings.

FUNKE Mediengruppe operates extensive digital operations beyond traditional newspaper publishing. The company maintains health portals including lifeline.de, 9monate.de, gesundheit.de, and the recently acquired onmeda.de through its FUNKE Gesundheit division. Its digital portfolio includes lifestyle brands serving women's interests such as Bild der Frau, myself.de, donna-magazin.de, wmn.de, gofeminin.de, and the acquired Edition F platform.

The regional news network combines Der Westen with Moin.de, Thüringen24, and News38 under unified editorial direction. Television and radio programming content reaches audiences through TVdigital.de, TVdirekt.de, and printed Hörzu distribution. Recipe and food content appears on eatclub.de, LeckerSchmecker.me, and veggieBOOM.com alongside the EAT CLUB TV channel. Technology and entertainment coverage spans 4p.de, imtest.de, werstreamt.es, genialetricks.de, and Futurezone.de.

This strategic approach positions FUNKE as an active buy-and-build investor diversifying revenue sources beyond traditional print media. The wetter.com acquisition adds profitable advertising revenue from a high-traffic digital service to complement existing digital operations. Weather services generate substantial commercial value through advertising alongside free consumer access.

The transaction occurs within broader media industry consolidation patterns. Bauer Media completed its €625 million acquisition of Clear Channel Europe-North in April 2025, adding 110,000 out-of-home advertising sites across 12 European countries to its audio and publishing divisions. That deal demonstrated German media companies' willingness to deploy capital for portfolio diversification beyond traditional formats.

ProSiebenSat.1 previously collaborated with RTL Deutschland on adtech initiatives, combining Virtual Minds and Smartclip to create unified technology for campaign management across linear television, smart TV, and streaming platforms. That February 2024 partnership represented attempts to reduce dependence on US technology providers in German advertising markets.

The broadcaster's earlier digital expansion included acquiring e-commerce marketer Kairion from Cocomore AG in January 2018 to strengthen ad-tech capabilities. Kairion aggregated advertising environments and data from over 80 online shops, enabling retail media advertising at point-of-purchase consideration. The company integrated Kairion into its Advertising Platform Solutions division bundling ad-tech activities.

ProSiebenSat.1 generated the weather service as a media partnership in 2000, establishing it as a complementary digital property during the early internet expansion period. The broadcaster assumed complete ownership in 2014, incorporating the platform into its expanding digital operations portfolio. For more than two decades, wetter.com operated under ProSiebenSat.1's ownership structure while building European presence.

The platform delivers weather forecasts, warnings, and related information serving consumer planning needs. Users access current conditions, extended forecasts, precipitation tracking, and severe weather alerts. The service monetizes through advertising placements integrated alongside free content access, generating revenue from its substantial user base.

Marius Neumann serves as wetter.com's managing director, leading the operation through this ownership transition. According to LinkedIn posts from Stefan Bornemann, the company's COO and B2B unit lead for METEONOMIQS, the announcement represents a significant development for the platform's future trajectory. Bornemann expressed appreciation for ProSiebenSat.1's partnership while noting enthusiasm for opportunities available under FUNKE Digital ownership.

The workforce transition follows German labor law provisions for operational transfers, maintaining employment continuity as ownership changes. Employees move to the new owner through formal Betriebsübergang procedures protecting employment terms. This structured approach preserves operational continuity and institutional knowledge during ownership transitions.

Media Partisans, another digital property in which FUNKE holds 60 percent ownership, operates the controversial website Heftig.co across 43 international portals. The company generated €1.1 million profit in 2016 despite criticism for clickbait tactics, misleading headlines, and copyright violations. Media Partisans defends its approach by disclaiming journalistic intent and employing no journalists, according to previous reporting.

FUNKE launched several digital initiatives expanding beyond traditional publishing boundaries. The Media Campus project supports educators teaching media literacy to students while promoting reading and writing abilities. The Funky.de platform incorporates students and young authors as content contributors, publishing their work alongside professional journalism.

Regional portal Moin.de launched in May 2020 focusing on Hamburg and northern Germany news. The company consolidated overregional digital offerings addressing specific demographics or topics into the FUNKE Digital Brands Network during summer 2020. This organizational structure separated thematically focused digital properties from traditional newspaper operations.

Der Westen and affiliated regional portals have faced repeated criticism for clickbait practices. The Deutscher Presserat issued multiple reprimands for "flagrant clickbaiting" involving misleading headlines that failed to match article content. These quality concerns contrast with FUNKE's stated editorial standards for newspaper journalism.

The transaction continues trends reshaping European media economics. Publishers confront challenges from AI content scraping that generates minimal revenue despite substantial bandwidth costs and content creation investments. Digital advertising fragmentation forces media companies to diversify revenue streams while seeking properties with established monetization models.

FUNKE Mediengruppe exited the Bundesverband Digitalpublisher und Zeitungsverleger industry association at year-end 2022, following controversies surrounding association president Mathias Döpfner's handling of misconduct allegations. Publisher Julia Becker cited concerns about collective silence regarding power abuse toward women in media, calling for industry association renewal.

The company operates from headquarters in Essen following January 2019 relocation to a purpose-built media facility at the university quarter edge. The organization maintains operations across multiple German cities supporting newspaper, digital, and broadcast properties. Five executive directors manage distinct operational areas including regional media, commercial operations, magazines, and digital services.

FUNKE owns 45 percent stakes in Austrian publications Kronen Zeitung and Kurier through WAZ Ausland Holding GmbH, dating to 1987 partnerships. The company sold 49 percent of that holding company to Signa Holding in 2018. These international investments complement German market operations while creating geographic diversification.

German media companies face mounting pressures from digital transformation, regulatory compliance, and changing consumer habits. The digital advertising sector confronts measurement crises as traditional targeting methods demonstrate accuracy barely exceeding chance. Publishers navigate tensions between platform dependence and direct audience relationships.

Weather services represent relatively stable digital businesses with clear value propositions for users and advertisers. Unlike news operations facing AI disruption and social media traffic volatility, weather information maintains consistent demand patterns. Users regularly check forecasts for planning purposes, creating predictable traffic suitable for advertising monetization.

The acquisition fits FUNKE's documented strategy acquiring established digital properties rather than building services internally. Previous acquisitions added health portals, lifestyle brands, and specialized content operations to the portfolio. This approach reduces development risk while accessing proven revenue streams and established audiences.

European media consolidation continues as companies seek scale advantages and portfolio diversification. Retail media networks expand to capture projected 20 percent of global advertising revenue by 2030, creating new monetization models beyond traditional display advertising. Publishers explore commerce partnerships, subscription services, and specialized content to offset declining print revenues.

ProSiebenSat.1 characterized the wetter.com proceeds as improving its financial basis and reducing financial liabilities. The company has executed multiple divestitures refining its portfolio around core entertainment operations. Broadcasting, streaming platforms like Joyn, and production capabilities constitute the strategic focus areas receiving continued investment.

The entertainment group consolidated resources following audience fragmentation and competition from international streaming services. Traditional broadcasting faces challenges from on-demand viewing habits, while advertising markets fragment across platforms. ProSiebenSat.1 responded by strengthening positions in areas where it maintains competitive advantages rather than competing broadly across all digital categories.

Digital weather services operate in competitive markets with multiple established providers. Users access weather information through platform-integrated services, dedicated applications, and web-based portals. Differentiation occurs through user interface design, forecast accuracy, specialized features, and brand recognition built through marketing investments.

The European market includes national meteorological services providing public weather information alongside commercial providers. Private companies monetize through advertising, premium subscriptions, or data licensing to business customers. Weather data feeds into various commercial applications from transportation logistics to retail planning.

FUNKE's acquisition creates potential synergies with existing digital properties. Weather widgets could integrate into newspaper websites, driving cross-traffic between properties. Advertising packages might bundle inventory across multiple platforms, offering advertisers coordinated campaigns. Content partnerships could develop featuring weather-related journalism utilizing platform data.

The regulatory approval requirement reflects standard competition law oversight for media transactions. Authorities evaluate whether acquisitions reduce competition or create concerning market concentrations. Weather service markets maintain multiple competitors, likely facilitating approval absent unusual circumstances.

First quarter 2026 completion timing enables both companies to finalize operational transitions. ProSiebenSat.1 can deconsolidate the business from financial reporting, while FUNKE integrates the acquisition into existing digital operations. Workforce integration, system migrations, and branding decisions occur during this period.

Stefan Bornemann's LinkedIn statement emphasized team achievements and professional dedication throughout the transaction process. He noted anticipation for enhanced opportunities under FUNKE Digital ownership, suggesting optimism about the platform's prospects. The project team executed complex transition planning while maintaining normal operations.

Media transactions frequently involve workforce uncertainty as new owners assess operations and pursue efficiency goals. The structured transfer process provides employment protection compared to asset sales without workforce provisions. German labor law establishes significant employee protections during ownership changes, maintaining terms and conditions.

wetter.com joins FUNKE Digital's growing portfolio serving consumer information needs across categories. Health, lifestyle, news, entertainment, recipes, and now weather create diverse touchpoints with audiences. This multi-category approach reduces dependence on any single vertical while creating cross-promotion opportunities.

The deal demonstrates continued appeal of profitable digital assets with established revenue models. Investors and acquirers value businesses demonstrating consistent monetization, audience retention, and growth potential. Weather services deliver these characteristics through regular user engagement patterns and advertising demand.

European digital advertising markets navigate complex regulatory environments. GDPR enforcement continues shaping data collection and processing practices. Germany proposes significant data protection simplifications seeking to reduce compliance burdens while maintaining privacy protections. These regulatory frameworks affect digital advertising businesses across categories.

The transaction illustrates diverging strategic paths for German media companies. ProSiebenSat.1 concentrates on entertainment content creation and distribution where it maintains competitive advantages. FUNKE pursues diversified digital portfolio development across information and service categories. Neither approach guarantees success amid ongoing industry transformation.

Marketing professionals monitoring this transaction observe continued media industry restructuring. Digital properties change hands as companies refine portfolios and seek synergies. Weather services represent one category among many where specialized operators or diversified media companies compete for audiences and advertising revenue.

The announcement arrives during late December when many organizations finalize year-end transactions before new fiscal periods. Timing enables both parties to reflect the transaction in upcoming financial reporting while beginning integration efforts during typically slower early-year periods.

FUNKE's acquisition activity contrasts with cost-cutting measures affecting other operations. The company reduced anzeigenblatt editorial staffing from 18 to 8.2 full-time positions in North Rhine-Westphalia effective March 2023, eliminating independent content creation for free distribution newspapers. Editorial output now derives from existing newspaper content rather than dedicated reporting.

Newspaper operations continue declining across German markets. FUNKE's regional titles lost 835,866 buyers since 1998, representing 73.2 percent circulation decline to 306,270 copies. Thüringen newspapers dropped 374,022 copies across the same period, falling 74.2 percent to 129,721 circulation. These trajectories necessitate alternative revenue development.

Digital properties offer growth potential unavailable in print operations. While newspapers face structural headwinds from digital competition and changing reading habits, well-positioned digital services can expand audiences and revenues. Weather platforms demonstrate this dynamic through pan-European reach and consistent traffic generation.

The combination creates one of Germany's larger digital media portfolios spanning multiple content categories. FUNKE operates newspaper websites, specialized portals, video content, and now comprehensive weather services. This breadth enables audience development across different user needs and occasions.

ProSiebenSat.1's ongoing portfolio refinement may include additional divestitures as management focuses resources on entertainment priorities. The company operates multiple digital properties beyond core broadcasting that could attract buyer interest. Media transaction markets remain active as companies pursue strategic repositioning.

Weather information serves practical consumer needs creating regular engagement patterns. Users check forecasts multiple times weekly for planning purposes. This habitual usage supports advertising monetization through reliable impression volumes and audience renewal.

The transaction demonstrates continued appetite for digital media assets demonstrating profitable operations. Financial buyers and strategic acquirers evaluate properties based on revenue stability, growth prospects, and strategic fit. Weather platforms meeting these criteria attract acquisition interest from larger media organizations.

FUNKE's Executive Board structure separating regional media, commercial operations, magazines, digital services, and other functions enables focused management of diverse business units. Digital properties operate under dedicated leadership pursuing strategies distinct from print operations. This organizational separation supports specialized approaches for different media categories.

The deal's completion timing coincides with typical regulatory review periods for media transactions. Cartel authorities examine competitive effects, market definitions, and potential remedies if concerns arise. Weather services operate in markets with multiple established competitors reducing concentration concerns.

Both parties characterized the transaction positively in public statements. ProSiebenSat.1 emphasized strategic focus and financial improvement. FUNKE highlighted growth opportunities and portfolio enhancement. These complementary perspectives suggest mutual satisfaction with transaction terms despite undisclosed pricing.

Media industry observers note the transaction as another data point in ongoing consolidation. European markets feature numerous regional and national players pursuing various strategic approaches. Some concentrate on specific formats or markets while others diversify across categories and geographies. The wetter.com deal exemplifies diversification strategies gaining prominence as traditional revenue sources decline.

Timeline

2000: ProSiebenSat.1 co-founds wetter.com as media partner, establishing weather service platform

2014: ProSiebenSat.1 acquires full ownership of wetter.com, integrating platform into digital division

January 2018: ProSiebenSat.1 acquires Kairion from Cocomore for retail media ad-tech capabilities

February 2024: ProSiebenSat.1 and RTL Deutschland launch joint adtech initiative combining Virtual Minds and Smartclip

April 2025: Bauer Media completes €625 million acquisition of Clear Channel Europe-North, marking major German media consolidation

December 15, 2025: ProSiebenSat.1 announces sale of wetter.com to FUNKE Mediengruppe

First Quarter 2026 (expected): Transaction completion and deconsolidation following cartel authority approval

Summary

Who: ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, the German broadcasting and entertainment company, sold wetter.com to FUNKE Mediengruppe GmbH & Co. KGaA, the Essen-based media conglomerate. The transaction transfers wetter.com's complete operations including managing director Marius Neumann and COO Stefan Bornemann along with the entire workforce to FUNKE's digital division under Executive Board member Stephan Thurm.

What: The transaction structured as an asset deal transfers ownership of wetter.com, one of Europe's two leading online weather platforms operating across 15 European markets through country-specific domains including the flagship German service, Spain's tiempo.es, and weather24.com. The deal includes offices in Konstanz, Berlin, and Munich, the complete workforce through German operational transfer provisions, and all platform assets delivering weather forecasts, warnings, and related information to millions of users. Financial terms remain undisclosed by both parties.

When: ProSiebenSat.1 announced the transaction December 15, 2025, with completion and subsequent deconsolidation expected during the first quarter of 2026 following cartel authority approval. The sale concludes ProSiebenSat.1's 25-year ownership period beginning with the platform's 2000 founding as a media partnership and continuing through 2014 full acquisition when the broadcaster integrated wetter.com into its digital operations division.

Where: The transaction affects operations across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and 12 additional European markets where wetter.com maintains presence. FUNKE Mediengruppe operates from Essen headquarters while wetter.com continues maintaining offices in Konstanz, Berlin, and Munich serving European markets. The deal adds international weather services to FUNKE's primarily German-focused digital portfolio spanning health portals, lifestyle brands, regional news operations, and specialized content platforms.

Why: ProSiebenSat.1 divests wetter.com to sharpen strategic focus on core entertainment business encompassing broadcasting, streaming platforms like Joyn, and content production while using transaction proceeds to improve financial basis and reduce liabilities. FUNKE Mediengruppe acquires the profitable weather platform to expand its digital portfolio with a service generating substantial traffic and advertising revenue, complementing existing properties through subject matter synergies as weather information ranks among the most requested topics across FUNKE's online portals. The transaction reflects broader European media consolidation as companies pursue scale advantages, revenue diversification, and portfolio optimization amid declining print revenues, digital advertising fragmentation, and competitive pressure from international platforms.