The Telegraph has been bought for £575 million by the owners of Business Insider and Politico: report
German publishing giant Axel Springer, the parent company behind digital powerhouses Business Insider and Politico, has agreed to acquire the Telegraph Media Group for £575 million, the Financial Times reports.
The deal, which values the storied British newspaper publisher at a premium over previous bids, marks the latest, and potentially final, chapter in a tumultuous three-year ownership saga for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph.
Axel Springer, which also owns Germany’s largest-circulation newspaper Bild and other European titles, swooped in at a late stage to outmanoeuvre a long-pending acquisition by DMGT, the owner of the Daily Mail.
Sources briefed on the matter told the FT that the agreement could be finalised as early as Friday (6 March) though timing remained fluid.
The move effectively gatecrashes DMGT’s proposed £500 million takeover, which had been bogged down by regulatory scrutiny over concerns about media plurality and the concentration of right-leaning outlets in the UK.
The Telegraph has been under the control of RedBird IMI, a joint venture between US private equity firm RedBird Capital Partners and Abu Dhabi-backed International Media Investments, since a controversial 2023 deal that was later adjusted due to UK government restrictions on foreign state ownership in British newspapers.
RedBird IMI was compelled to divest after the acquisition faced backlash over press freedom implications.
That ownership uncertainty dragged on through multiple failed or withdrawn bids. A 2025 agreement for RedBird to take full control collapsed amid newsroom opposition and slow regulatory progress.
DMGT then stepped in with its £500 million offer in late 2025, only for the UK government to launch a probe in early 2026 into potential competition and public interest issues.
Axel Springer had previously shown interest in the Telegraph as far back as 2023 and more recently backed alternative consortia bids, including one led by New York Sun owner Dovid Efune.
The German group’s direct intervention now appears to have clinched the prize, offering a reportedly superior price and potentially smoother path through any remaining hurdles.
The £575 million figure represents a significant uplift from the £500 million benchmark cited in recent negotiations, reflecting the asset’s enduring value despite the prolonged limbo.
The Telegraph, founded in 1855, remains one of Britain’s most influential conservative-leaning broadsheets, with a strong digital presence and loyal readership.
