Our story: Change and growth
What began in 1950 has developed into a global network of companies by 2025: Hans Müller KG, a telephone directory publisher, became müller x net. The secret to success doesn’t have to be a secret – if you keep reinventing yourself.
Family business
Hans Müller founded the company in his living room at the age of 65. In 1965, he handed over the publishing house to his grandson Gunther Oschmann. As part of the reorientation as Müller Medien, he appointed his children Constanze and Michael Oschmann to the management of the group in 2000.
From the telephone directory to the future
From printed directories to electronic data processing and the emergence of private radio and TV stations to the new media of the internet and global networking: it is a story of change, growth … and a clear philosophy of embracing change as an opportunity.
75 years of change and growth
2025 Anniversary & relaunch
To mark its 75th anniversary, Müller Medien is getting a new brand identity as müller x net. Telefonbuch Verlag Hans Müller GmbH & Co. KG is being transferred to SELLWERK GmbH & Co. KG.
2024 Honorary award for Gunter Oschmann
Broadcasting pioneer, publisher and visionary Gunther Oschmann receives an honorary award for his life’s work from the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media (BLM).
2022 Brandrefresh SELLWERK
Seven years after its founding, SELLWERK is repositioning itself. The message is: ‘We live and breathe SMEs – digitally, diversely and simply!’ JKV-Media Keller Verlag, KELSTA Telefonbuchverlag GmbH and Christ-Verlag are now also part of the group.
2018 Launch of SELLWERK Prime
SELLWERK Prime is the new standard and basic digital equipment for SMEs: the easy-to-use package consists of a website, listing, rating and reputation management, online booking, social media management and digital communication.
2018 Little Major Tom
Tessloff Verlag launches ‘Little Major Tom’, a completely independent series of children’s books and audio plays about space travel, science and technology – inspired and accompanied by Peter Schilling.
2018 Curtain up for BOOKii
In 2018, Tessloff Verlag launched the BOOKii digital audio pen, which provides an interactive book experience with original sounds, a read-aloud function and a recording option.
2017 Visibility for small and medium-sized businesses
In addition to professional search engine optimisation (SEO), SELLWERK also offers small and medium-sized businesses the ‘Deutschland Listing’ (later ‘Local Listing’) for the automated maintenance of digital business cards on the internet.
2016 Investment in BRLO Craft Beer
Müller Medien opens a new barrel and invests in the cult Berlin brewery BRLO Craft Beer, which will henceforth use the ‘BRLO BRWHOUSE’ at Berlin’s Gleisdreieck as its own production site and gradually expand its portfolio.
2016 Founding of RECUP
Founded in 2016, RECUP and REBOWL have become the best-known and largest reusable alternative for to-go packaging in the German catering industry.
2015 Founding of SELLWERK
Founded on 9 November 2015, SELLWERK is now the leading provider of digital marketing solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany. Members in 2025: around 150,000 companies!
2014 WHAT IS WHAT
Tessloff Verlag publishes its first WAS IST WAS volumes in English. Initially under the name ‘WHAT IS WHAT’, the series is now called ‘Explore & Discover’. Today, WAS IST WAS has a worldwide circulation of more than 100 million copies in around 45 languages in over 100 countries.
2013 Creation of the South Building
The Omnia Druck und Verlag Hans Müller KG building is renovated starting in 2013. The result is the new South Building.
2012 Gold for Müller Verlag
Müller Verlag’s restaurant and hotel guide wins gold in the ‘Print’ category at the German Directory Media Awards. The children’s and young adult book brand WAS IST WAS also cleans up: Tessloff’s e-books are awarded the GIGA Mouse for outstanding educational software.
2011 A new era in broadcasting
The start of a new era in broadcasting: on 1 August, the nationwide programme ‘Absolut Radio’ is launched. The digital radio station offers its listeners and users numerous interactive options, from communities and fan pages to the Absolut Radio app.
2011 Laying of the foundation stone on Pretzfelder Straße
The foundation stone for the extension building on Pretzfelder Straße is laid.
2009 WAS IST WAS in Chinese
It’s okay to only understand Chinese sometimes: from 2009, the first books in the WAS IST WAS series from Tessloff Verlag are published in Chinese.
2009 Cooperation with freelancermap.de
The platform for highly qualified professionals receives strategic and operational support from 2009 onwards – and is now one of the leading offerings of its kind in the DACH region.
2009 Relaunch Marktspiegel
Marktspiegel, acquired in 1983, undergoes a comprehensive brand refresh and is now also available online at marktspiegel.co.uk.
2008 Expansion 2.0
The New Media division is expanded: the review portal speisekarte.co.uk and the online auction portal blauarbeit.co.uk go live.
2007 Steady growth in the online market
The New Business division has been growing steadily since its inception. The network now includes twenty online companies and partnerships: the spectrum ranges from vertical specialist services, such as Web 2.0-oriented internet applications and review portals, to specialists in search engine marketing.
2006 Müller Verlag in the Guinness Book of Records
Müller Verlag is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. A giant 450 m² poster painted by children decorates the publishing house building in Nuremberg during the World Cup in Germany.
2003 Founding of IT2media
IT2media is founded in Nuremberg. The company emerges from the IT department of the former publishing house ‘DigiData’. It offers tailor-made IT solutions and services with a focus on digitisation, process automation and optimisation for business customers in the publishing and media environment.
2001 WAS IST WAS goes TV
WAS IST WAS airs the first episode of the documentary series ‘WAS IST WAS TV’ on Super RTL. The series (26 episodes) achieves excellent ratings right from the start in prime time.
2000 WAS IST WAS goes online
On 15 September 2000, WAS IST WAS goes online at wasistwas.de with an online offering.
2000 Founding .wtv
Together with other companies, Müller Medien founds .wtv Württemberger Telefonbuch-Verlag GmbH & Co. KG
2000 50 Years Müller Medien and generational change
Constanze and Michael Oschmann join the management team. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the telephone directory publisher, the Müller Medien family of companies is founded – with five business areas: directory, print media, books, broadcasting and new media.
1999 Founding ad pepper
1999 Founding of ad pepper
The pioneers of online marketing are now listed on the stock exchange and support campaigns in more than 50 countries: ad pepper is one of the leading providers of digital marketing technologies in Europe and beyond.
The pioneers of online marketing are now listed on the stock exchange and support campaigns in more than 50 countries: ad pepper is one of the leading providers of digital marketing technologies in Europe and beyond.
1997 Commitment to local TV stations
The company’s involvement in local television stations begins. First with Franken Life Nürnberg, which is renamed Franken TV in 2003. In 2010, the station is renamed Franken Fernsehen (FF). FF has now been shaping the regional television landscape in Franconia for almost 30 years and has established itself as the most successful regional television station in the region.
1996 Globalisation
The company family’s entry into the Internet marks its step into the third millennium and global markets. The fifth business division, New Business, is born.
1996 Telephone directory publisher
Fernsprechbuch-Verlag Hans Müller GmbH & Co. KG is renamed Telefonbuch Verlag Hans Müller GmbH & Co. KG.
1990 Establishment of numerous publishing houses
Numerous publishing houses are founded in the 1990s. These include Telefonbuch Verlag Sachsen GmbH (1990), STT-Telefonbuch-Verlag AG in Zurich (1992), Telefon & Buch Verlagsgesellschaft mbH in Salzburg (1992) and Teletel Verlagsgesellschaft mbH in Vienna (1992), as well as Verlag Schadinsky-Werbung GmbH & Cie. KG in Celle (1998).
1984 Wave of regional radio stations
MüllerVerlag proves itself to be a pioneer from the very beginning and is the first in Germany to invest specifically in the new wave of private radio stations. Neue Welle Bayern launches in 1984, followed by Neue Welle Franken in 1986. Radio Charivari also goes on air in 1986, and Radio Arabella finally launches in Munich in 1989.
1981 Takeover of Tessloff Verlag
Tessloff Verlag Ragner Tessloff OHG from Hamburg is taken over, laying the foundation for the WAS IST WAS children’s book series, which later becomes a worldwide success.
1980 Ideological change & contrasts
A new era of communication begins: Verlag Hans Müller plays a key role in shaping the path to electronic telephone directories, telephone information services and Btx services (videotex).
1980 ‘Thon’ sets the tone
The publishing house relocates its offices to Nuremberg-Thon.
1979 Founding of digidata
New business division for data processing in the newly founded publishing house ‘DigiData’.
1977 Computer centre
The publishing house’s first computer centre is implemented.
1975 New Yellow Pages
The Yellow Pages are published separately from the official telephone directory for the first time as a separate book. The new and catchy design quickly makes the book a popular reference directory.
1973 Takeover of Schwann Verlag
Integration of Düsseldorf-based Schwann Verlag KG, known for its schoolbooks for 200 years.
1971 Start of digitisation
First digitisation of the publishing house using electronic data processing.
1965 IT and expansion
The era of IT and expansion begins. The growing number of entries in telephone and address directories requires new ways of processing data.
1965 The next generation
Following the death of founder Hans Müller, his grandson Gunther Oschmann takes over management of the publishing house, which now has 50 employees, on 1 June 1965. In the years that follow, Gunther Oschmann establishes the Yellow Pages and Das Örtliche product lines.
1950 Company founded
On 1 April 1950, at the age of 65, Hans Müller founded the telephone directory publishing company Hans Müller KG from his living room: the basis for the publishing business was a 10-year contract with Deutsche Postreklame GmbH for the distribution of initially 35 local telephone directories and the first trade, commercial and professional directory.