Local editorial office prepares to achieve unprecedented goals
In the heart of Gelsenkirchen, a new media outlet has been making waves since its inception in 2024. Spotlight Gelsenkirchen, a local news platform, opened its doors to the public in late June 2025, marking the start of an exciting journey.
The idea for Spotlight Gelsenkirchen was born in 2024, and by the end of that year, the team had already moved into the planning phase. The local office, previously a travel agency, was transformed into a café from February 2025.
The team behind Spotlight Gelsenkirchen identified multipliers in Gelsenkirchen's city life as important for their project. They started offline campaigns in April 2025 to make the new concept known, and in July 2025, they held their first event, focusing on "How do we deal with power abuse and violence in sports?"
Tobias Hauswurz, the editor-in-chief of Spotlight Gelsenkirchen, was appointed in January 2025. Under his leadership, the outlet launched its first newsletter, which garnered over 550 subscribers. The team also created an Instagram account, managed by a freelancer, to increase visibility.
Spotlight Gelsenkirchen's election coverage will focus on voters rather than politics under the "Your Voice, Your Topics" project. The local election in Gelsenkirchen on September 14, 2025, will be covered by Spotlight Gelsenkirchen.
In the long term, Spotlight Gelsenkirchen aims to make its newsletter a "fully mature product". To achieve this, the team plans to organize a weekly event at the café to increase visibility.
After one year, the Spotlight Gelsenkirchen pilot project will be evaluated. Tobias Hauswurz, reflecting on the journey so far, identified several lessons that could help other young local media outlets. These include the importance of finding a local gatekeeper, realistic resource planning, launching a basic prototype, early tech stack planning, and pitching the concept clearly.
While the name of the communications consultant who served as a "door opener" for contact with important groups in the city society of Gelsenkirchen remains undisclosed, it is clear that their efforts have contributed significantly to the success of Spotlight Gelsenkirchen.
As Spotlight Gelsenkirchen continues to grow and evolve, it is poised to become an integral part of Gelsenkirchen city, fostering open dialogue, promoting local issues, and empowering the community.
