Vonovia commissioned a poll on Berlin's expropriation referendum, then denied it existed after the report showed 56% still back socialising profit-seeking landlords.
Ever wanted to override public opinion in a way that directly benefits you and a small group of shareholders? One good way to do this is to keep asking a question in different ways, until you get the answer you want to hear. On the other hand, what if the population does not seem to have changed their mind on an issue? Well, in that case, keep that information as quiet as possible, of course.
Only once presented with the document itself did company spokesman Matthias Wulff concede it existed
HEIST is a worker-owned online magazine, founded by writers and editors who after years working across Berlin's media landscape believed something essential was missing.
Anyone living here has felt a growing gap between the city as it actually is and the version being served up by mainstream outlets. We experienced that disconnect firsthand. We saw political censorship shape coverage decisions and felt the weight of billionaire ownership land directly on our work. It reached a point where we could either keep going along with it, or try to build something better.
That's why we created HEIST.
And look at you: scrolling, clicking, squinting at blurred text just to get a little further. If you'll go to that much effort to read HEIST, you can surely give us one email. That's the whole price, and the rest of the story is right behind it.
Real journalism costs money. We commission the hard-hitting, well-reported, long-form work everyone wants to read but nobody seems to publish anymore.
The future of this city is still in the balance. We intend to be part of that struggle. We hope that you'll join us.
