[1] The paper originally described itself as "the East West Weekly", being established in the year of German reunification, but underwent a substantial rebranding in 2009, including the addition of the definite article (it was previously just Freitag) as well as the new claim "das Meinungsmedium".

[4] Starting with edition 36 on September 5, 2019 der Freitag was published with the new subheadline „Die Wochenzeitung" („the Weekly Newspaper") and a redesigned front page.

According to the publishing house the new subline is supposed to emphasise der Freitag's „strength as Weekly Paper and thus as medium for background reporting and analysis".

Der Freitag has a syndication agreement with the Guardian, and presents a number of German translations of that newspaper's content in every issue.

Since November 2014, der Freitag digital offers the content of the current issue in the form of a web app for all mobile devices.

Since 2015, the talks have been organised in cooperation with the Berlin radio station radioeins which broadcasts live the discussions between Freitag's editor-in-chief Jakob Augstein and his respective guest.

[14] Ulrike Winkelmann, Head of the Political Affairs Department, was awarded the Alternative Media Prize 2011 for her satirical contribution to the Thilo Sarrazin debate entitled "Integrate yourselves!".

[15][16] In December 2011 Jakob Augstein was awarded the Bert-Donnepp-Preis – Deutscher Preis für Medienpublizistik in 2011, with a "special honour".