POLITICO’s Precarious Perch

Earlier this month, a report in Puck took some at POLITICO by surprise. The story said that executives at parent company Axel Springer had taken meetings with media industry leaders, fueling internal speculation that they might be considering replacing POLITICO’s chief executive, Goli Sheikholeslami.

The possibility that Mathias Döpfner, Jan Bayer, Claudius Senst, and other Axel executives might be eyeing a business-side shakeup had not been on the radar of those inside POLITICO, where many assumed the company’s immediate focus was limited to finding a successor to John Harris as editor-in-chief. Some also believed that Döpfner’s attention was elsewhere, particularly as the company was finalizing its bid for The Daily Telegraph.

Status has since independently confirmed that Axel brass has indeed spoken with industry executives about the potential role, according to two people familiar with the matter. One person told Status that Döpfner had explicitly asked them for recommendations of candidates who might be a good fit to run the outlet.

Axel Springer disputed that characterization in a statement. Senst, the German publishing giant’s chief operating officer, told Status: “Any speculation about replacing Goli or questioning our confidence in her as CEO is unfounded. She has our full support, and we look forward to POLITICO's continued growth under her leadership.”

Still, that vote of confidence appears unlikely to quell chatter about Axel Springer reassessing POLITICO’s leadership structure. Last year, Harris announced he would step aside from the top editor role, kicking off a widespread search for a global leader to replace him. That search has prompted internal speculation about how much change Axel Springer is looking to implement at the Washington political outlet.

“While the Germans still really like Goli personally, they are eager for a change,” one former POLITICO employee told Status.

At the very least, the episode has put Sheikholeslami in an awkward position. Reports that the company’s owners may be quietly eyeing potential successors have circulated inside the organization, creating an uncomfortable dynamic even though Axel Springer continues to publicly back the chief executive.

Sheikholeslami was named chief executive of POLITICO in 2022, one of the first big hiring decisions Axel Springer made after acquiring the publication the year prior for over $1 billion. At the time of her appointment, Bayer, the chairman of Axel’s supervisory board, said that Sheikholeslami would expand on Axel’s plans to “build the global news and information leader on politics, policy and regulation in power centers across the world.”

Sheikholeslami joined POLITICO from WNYC, serving as New York Public Radio’s chief executive and president for two years. Prior to that, she served as the chief executive of Chicago Public Radio after holding senior roles at The Washington Post, Condé Nast, and Time Warner. “She came into this job with limited commercial experience,” the former POLITICO staffer said, noting that her high-level public radio business experience might not have translated to Axel Springer’s objectives. “It was always going to be a big leap for her.”

The speculation about Sheikholeslami’s future comes at a crucial moment for POLITICO. Morale inside the newsroom has been strained by layoffs and a steady stream of high-profile departures. At the same time, POLITICO faces intensifying competition on its home turf—Axios, Punchbowl News, and a growing roster of upstarts have chipped away at its once-commanding grip on Beltway coverage.

The push for renewed growth comes as Axel Springer has been busy expanding its global media footprint. Last week, the company struck a roughly $770 million deal to acquire Britain’s Telegraph, underscoring how Döpfner’s attention has been focused across the pond as of late, and on scaling the company’s international influence broadly.

Meanwhile, less than a month ago, Döpfner and Sheikholeslami addressed staffers during a town hall, acknowledging certain business pressures facing POLITICO specifically. The executives said that the outlet hadn’t been able to recoup the loss of federal government subscriptions to its Pro policy platform, following a DOGE-led campaign against such expenditures.

Against that backdrop, Axel Springer is looking to revitalize the business and power its sustainability well into the future. That next phase will be defined on the editorial side by Harris’ eventual replacement. But with Axel Springer leaders quietly checking out the talent pool of media executives, the organization could be headed towards a period of even broader transition.

For now, Axel Springer continues to publicly back Sheikholeslami. But the conversations behind the scenes relayed to Status give the impression that the changes won’t stop at the editorial side.

The latest episode of our podcast Power Lines is out.

In this week’s episode: The Trump administration is waging war on two fronts—in Iran and against the press, lashing out at journalists and restricting Pentagon photographer access over "unflattering" images. But MAGA's own biggest stars are turning on Trump, with Joe Rogan, Megyn Kelly, and Tucker Carlson openly denouncing the conflict.

Plus, at CBS News, investigative reporter Scott MacFarlane is the latest major talent to walk out the door, disillusioned with Bari Weiss' influence—and Status has learned he's far from alone as staffers worry the network is increasingly mirroring The Free Press.

Plus, David Ellison pledges to protect CNN's independence ahead of the Warner Bros. Discovery takeover, but Democratic senators are raising new alarm over Paramount's Chinese and Saudi funding.

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