Top German tabloid editor ousted over misconduct claims

LONDON (AP) — The powerful chief editor of Germany's best-selling newspaper has been removed from his post following revelations of misconduct, publishing company Axel Springer SE said Monday.

Julian Reichelt was axed from the helm of the Bild tabloid “with immediate effect,” the company said in a statement.

The 41-year-old was suspended earlier this year as part of company-ordered probe into his management style, but later reinstated.

Axel Springer said it had recently gained new information about Reichelt “as a result of press investigations” that it had followed up on, revealing that he had "failed to maintain a clear boundary between private and professional matters” even after being required to do so following the internal investigation in March.

Reichelt had also lied to the board about this, the company said.

Reichelt could not be reached for comment.

Axel Springer said it would appoint Johannes Boie, 37, as the new chair of Bild’s three-member editorial board.

The announcement came after it emerged over the weekend that journalists at a rival German media group had been investigating allegations against Reichelt but were prevented from publishing their findings.

In a letter dated Friday, four senior reporters at the Ippen media group accused their company and its publisher, Dirk Ippen, of a “breach of trust” for deciding to halt the report, which had been months in the making and was due to be published Sunday.

The Ippen media group said it had nixed the story to "avoid the impression we might want to economically harm a competitor." It denied there had been any pressure from Axel Springer executives over the matter.