Lagepunkt (lagepunkt.de) is funded through a mix of display advertising, affiliate links, commercial partnerships, sponsored content, newsletter sponsorships and content licensing. This page explains how those revenue streams work, how we keep them separate from editorial decisions, and what you can expect from us in terms of transparency. For a full overview of our ownership and funding structure, see our Ownership & Funding page.
How is Lagepunkt funded?
We generate revenue from display advertising, affiliate links, commercial partnerships, sponsored content, newsletter sponsorships and content licensing. This diversified model allows us to keep our journalism freely accessible while maintaining editorial independence. Every commercial arrangement is clearly labelled so readers always know when content has been paid for or contains affiliate links.
Display advertising appears on our site in standard ad slots. Affiliate links may be included in articles where they are relevant to the topic – for example, linking to a book mentioned in a review or to a service discussed in a practical guide. Sponsored content is published under a separate policy that requires it to be marked as “sponsored” or “partner content” and reviewed by our editorial team for factual accuracy, but never guided by the sponsor’s commercial interests. Our Sponsored Content Policy sets out the full rules.
What are affiliate links and how do we use them?
Affiliate links are special URLs that allow Lagepunkt to earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase – at no extra cost to you. We use them only when they serve a clear journalistic purpose, such as directing readers to a relevant product, service or resource mentioned in the story.
Every article containing affiliate links includes a clear disclosure, usually near the link or at the bottom of the piece, stating that Lagepunkt may receive a commission. This disclosure is part of our commitment to transparency. Affiliate relationships never influence which products or services we cover, how we cover them, or the conclusions we draw. Our editorial team – led by Chefredaktör Thomas Kuhn – makes all coverage decisions independently of any commercial considerations.
Does advertising influence our editorial decisions?
No. Our editorial independence is absolute. No advertiser, sponsor, partner or affiliate has any say in what stories we pursue, how we report them, or what conclusions we reach. This principle is enforced by Thomas Kuhn as Chefredaktör and overseen by the entire editorial team, including Redaktionschef Maria Müller and fact-checking lead Lisa Schumacher.
Commercial relationships never determine editorial conclusions. Sponsored content is clearly labelled and subject to the same fact-checking and editorial standards as all other content, but it is commissioned and supervised by the commercial team, not the newsroom. Our Editorial Policy documents this separation in detail. If you ever see content that appears to blur this line, please contact our complaints desk at complaints@lagepunkt.de.
What you can expect from us
You can expect clear labelling of all commercial content. Display ads are marked as such. Affiliate links are disclosed. Sponsored articles carry a prominent “sponsored” flag. Every piece published on Lagepunkt – whether editorial, affiliate-linked or sponsored – is reviewed by a human editor and fact-checked before publication.
We use artificial intelligence tools only for research, drafting, formatting, translation, metadata and similar support tasks. AI never writes quotes, sources, interviews, bylines or expert profiles, and all final content is approved by a named human editor. For the full policy, see our AI & Automation Policy.
How can I advertise or partner with Lagepunkt?
If you are interested in display advertising, sponsored content, newsletter sponsorships, affiliate partnerships or content licensing, please contact our commercial team at advertising@lagepunkt.de for advertising enquiries and partnerships@lagepunkt.de for partnership opportunities. We aim to respond within two business days.
All advertising and partnership proposals are evaluated against our editorial standards. We do not accept advertising from organisations whose core activities conflict with our journalistic mission – for example, gambling, tobacco, weapons or political advocacy that misrepresents facts. For full details, see our Sponsored Content Policy and our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure (this page).
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about how we fund our journalism, how we handle advertising or affiliate links, or if you believe a piece of content has not been properly labelled, please contact our editorial desk at editorial@lagepunkt.de or our fact-checking team at factcheck@lagepunkt.de. For formal complaints, use our Complaints Procedure. Your trust is the foundation of our work, and we take every concern seriously.