Hatice Akyün becomes the new editor-in-chief of Now” – A Voice of Diversity!

Hatice Akyün becomes the new editor-in-chief of Now” – A Voice of Diversity!

Hatice Akyün is the new editor-in-chief of “Now”. Florian Novak, the founder of the project, describes her as a “versatile, opinionated journalist”. Akyün, who is 56 years old, has an impressive career that has taken her to renowned media such as “Spiegel”, “Zeit”, “Süddeutsche Zeitung” and “Tagesspiegel”. Her work included, among other things, a column called “Ansichtskater” in the “Tagesspiegel”.

What is particularly noteworthy is that Akyün received the Theodor Wolff Prize for Journalism in the opinion category in 2021. With her article “Out of the Ring”, which deals with questions of identity and equality, she convinced the jury with a “clear and emotionally argued reflection” on life as a “model migrant”.

The Theodor Wolff Prize and other awards

The Theodor Wolff Prize, worth a total of 30,000 euros, is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the German newspaper industry. Akyün is not the only winner of this year's competition. Among the other honored journalists are Wolfgang Bauer from “Zeit Magazin” for his report “Under Taliban” and Anna Petersen from the regional newspaper for the Lüneburger Heide, who was honored for her piece “Chaos in the Head”. The best local digital project was honored by the evening newspaper in Munich for “Munich has the choice”.

There was great interest in the award: 484 journalists took part in the competition. In his welcoming speech, Federal President Frank Walter-Steinmeier emphasized the responsibility of journalism to provide orientation in complex times.

A new chapter at “Now”

“Now” plans to make intensive use of the member search by offering independently produced journalism in text and audio form. Novak set himself the goal of recruiting 5,000 members for the launch, which he achieved after extending the deadline. The “Now” team currently numbers around 15 people, more than half of whom are journalists. A well-known member of the editorial team is the investigative journalist Christo Grozev, who will also conduct training for the project's journalists.

Through committed member participation, “Now” wants to promote discussions, which even include the requirement to use real names, and thus establish a trusting and transparent communication culture. Akyün's appointment brings a breath of fresh air to the editorial team, which is preparing for a promising start.

The fusion of journalistic experience and innovative approaches could provide significant impetus for the media landscape. [kleinezeitung.at](https://www.kleinezeitung.at/service/newsticker/kultur/20135525/jetzt-hat-mit-hatice-akyuen-neue-chief editorin) reports that Akyün and her team have high expectations for future projects.

Journalism will remain a challenge in the coming years, especially in view of the current global political situation. It will therefore be even more important to have a strong voice in the area of ​​information and collaboration like the “Now” project. tagesspiegel.de points to the growing responsibility of the media in a dynamic society.

The developments surrounding the Theodor Wolff Prize and Akyün's new role could therefore be important not only for her personally, but also for the entire industry. deutschlandfunkkultur.de emphasizes that this award is a confirmation of outstanding journalism and could pave the way for new voices.