Jautz was a local newspaper reporter and a foreign correspondent for The Associated Press before becoming CNN's bureau chief in Germany. Among the stories he covered for the network were the fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequent revolutions in East European countries; the 1991 Gulf War; the dissolution of the Soviet Union; and the break-up of Yugoslavia and resulting Balkan conflicts. From 1995 to 2000, Jautz worked for Turner Broadcasting Europe, first as a London-based business development executive helping launch news channels and programs in several European countries, then as the Berlin, Germany-based managing director of n-tv, which operated the first all-news television network in Germany. Jautz served as executive vice president of CNN's business news unit from 2001 to 2004, during which time he managed the CNNfn network, helped launch the CNNMoney website, and oversaw all business programming on CNN/U.S., including several award-winning weekday and weekend business programs.