Markus Knall

Editor-in-Chief and Director Content at IPPEN.MEDIA

Markus Knall

Editor-in-Chief and Director Content at IPPEN.MEDIA

Markus Knall is one of the defining figures of the German media transformation. As Editor-in-Chief of IPPEN.MEDIA, he oversees one of Europe’s largest digital editorial networks, featuring brands such as Merkur.de, FR.de, and tz.de. Each month, the network reaches approximately 28 million visitors, accounting for nearly half of all German online users.
Markus is deeply committed to strengthening local journalism in all its facets - and making it visible. As a primary initiator, he launched the Local Journalism Day #näherdran, which debuted in 2025 and was held for the second time on May 5, 2026. The 2027 edition is already in the planning stages - and will mark a milestone: the Local Journalism Day goes international. Together with co-initiator Drive, around 150 media brands - including regional newspaper publishers and associations - have joined this initiative with the shared goal of highlighting local journalism and its societal significance.
His commitment and expertise are regularly recognized within the industry: In February 2026, the renowned trade service W&V named him one of the "Top 100: People Who Lead the Way." Previously, in 2020, he was honored by kress as "Digital Editor-in-Chief of the Year."
His career path took him to Regensburg and Washington D.C. before he completed his Executive MBA at the University of St. Gallen.

Session Details

Presented by GenKI4Media | Horizon StageHow to publish 5.000 articles in one election night - IPPEN.MEDIA’s Editor-in-Chief about the implementation of AI in the process of news production14:30 - 15:15 Horizon StageIt’s no longer about efficiency or processes, the next step is the automation of quality. In this keynote Markus Knall, editor-in-chief of IPPEN.MEDIA, is sharing his vision of AI in news production. He also provides an in-depth look at how AI is currently used in the media group’s production processes.

Presented by GenKI4Media | Horizon Stage“AI-generated” as the new “Made in Germany”? Quality, Trust, and the Future of Content Creation in the Age of AI15:30 - 16:15 Horizon StageCan "AI-generated" ever become a mark of quality? A question worth asking – and worth debating. Artificial intelligence is entering the content creation process in media companies across the world at many different levels.

Session Details

At a time of growing skepticism about the capabilities, influence, and societal impact of large language models, calling „AI-generated“ a quality label could certainly be seen as a bold claim.

How can quality be ensured when the training of future AI models increasingly relies on AI-generated content? Some even argue that LLMs are not just an impasse for content creation, but a dead end in general.

At the same time, reaching audiences has become much harder in the constant stream of information across fragmented platforms – and in times where search no longer leads to traffic, visibility has become a major challenge for media companies. So, what strategies are working? Where are the success stories, particularly in local journalism? 

What tools could AI realistically offer that don’t yet exist? And last but not least: What is the role of humans in the future of content creation? These are the questions this panel sets out to explore – always with a clear focus on practical applications in the day-to-day operations of media companies.

The panel discussion is presented by GenKI4Media, a project dedicated to the development of generative AI assistants for the media, cultural, and creative sectors and funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.