diff --git a/src/collections/Pages/pressIndexFields.ts b/src/collections/Pages/pressIndexFields.ts
index da469d5..cc6b630 100644
--- a/src/collections/Pages/pressIndexFields.ts
+++ b/src/collections/Pages/pressIndexFields.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ const eventFields: Field[] = [
   text('slug', 'Route'),
 ]
 
+const statusLabelFields: Field[] = [
+  text('value', 'Raw status value'),
+  text('label', 'Display label'),
+]
+
 const newsFields: Field[] = [
   text('title', 'Title'),
   textarea('excerpt', 'Excerpt'),
@@ -81,7 +86,20 @@ export const pressIndexFields: Field[] = [
           textarea('heading', 'Heading', pressIndexContent.events.heading),
           textarea('description', 'Description', pressIndexContent.events.description),
           text('detailLabel', 'Detail link label', pressIndexContent.events.detailLabel),
+          text('defaultStatusLabel', 'Missing status fallback label', pressIndexContent.events.defaultStatusLabel),
           text('openStatusLabel', 'Open status label', pressIndexContent.events.openStatusLabel),
+          text('missingTitleLabel', 'Missing event title label', pressIndexContent.events.missingTitleLabel),
+          text('missingDateLabel', 'Missing event date label', pressIndexContent.events.missingDateLabel),
+          text('missingLocationLabel', 'Missing event location label', pressIndexContent.events.missingLocationLabel),
+          text('missingCategoryLabel', 'Missing event category label', pressIndexContent.events.missingCategoryLabel),
+          uploadField('collectionFallbackImage', 'Missing event image fallback', `Current frontend image: /images/${pressIndexContent.events.collectionFallbackImageFilename}`),
+          {
+            name: 'statusLabels',
+            label: 'Status display labels',
+            type: 'array',
+            defaultValue: pressIndexContent.events.statusLabels,
+            fields: statusLabelFields,
+          },
           {
             name: 'fallbackItems',
             label: 'Fallback event rows',
@@ -102,6 +120,9 @@ export const pressIndexFields: Field[] = [
           textarea('heading', 'Heading', pressIndexContent.news.heading),
           textarea('description', 'Description', pressIndexContent.news.description),
           text('readMoreLabel', 'Read more label', pressIndexContent.news.readMoreLabel),
+          text('missingTitleLabel', 'Missing news title label', pressIndexContent.news.missingTitleLabel),
+          text('missingCategoryLabel', 'Missing news category label', pressIndexContent.news.missingCategoryLabel),
+          uploadField('collectionFallbackImage', 'Missing news image fallback', `Current frontend image: /images/${pressIndexContent.news.collectionFallbackImageFilename}`),
           {
             name: 'fallbackItems',
             label: 'Fallback news cards',
diff --git a/src/payload-types.ts b/src/payload-types.ts
index 3925a97..3407a4f 100644
--- a/src/payload-types.ts
+++ b/src/payload-types.ts
@@ -1492,7 +1492,23 @@ export interface Page {
       heading?: string | null;
       description?: string | null;
       detailLabel?: string | null;
+      defaultStatusLabel?: string | null;
       openStatusLabel?: string | null;
+      missingTitleLabel?: string | null;
+      missingDateLabel?: string | null;
+      missingLocationLabel?: string | null;
+      missingCategoryLabel?: string | null;
+      /**
+       * Current frontend image: /images/buehne-moderatoren.jpg
+       */
+      collectionFallbackImage?: (number | null) | Media;
+      statusLabels?:
+        | {
+            value?: string | null;
+            label?: string | null;
+            id?: string | null;
+          }[]
+        | null;
       fallbackItems?:
         | {
             title?: string | null;
@@ -1515,6 +1531,12 @@ export interface Page {
       heading?: string | null;
       description?: string | null;
       readMoreLabel?: string | null;
+      missingTitleLabel?: string | null;
+      missingCategoryLabel?: string | null;
+      /**
+       * Current frontend image: /images/gala-saal-overview.jpg
+       */
+      collectionFallbackImage?: (number | null) | Media;
       fallbackItems?:
         | {
             title?: string | null;
@@ -4299,7 +4321,20 @@ export interface PagesSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
               heading?: T;
               description?: T;
               detailLabel?: T;
+              defaultStatusLabel?: T;
               openStatusLabel?: T;
+              missingTitleLabel?: T;
+              missingDateLabel?: T;
+              missingLocationLabel?: T;
+              missingCategoryLabel?: T;
+              collectionFallbackImage?: T;
+              statusLabels?:
+                | T
+                | {
+                    value?: T;
+                    label?: T;
+                    id?: T;
+                  };
               fallbackItems?:
                 | T
                 | {
@@ -4321,6 +4356,9 @@ export interface PagesSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
               heading?: T;
               description?: T;
               readMoreLabel?: T;
+              missingTitleLabel?: T;
+              missingCategoryLabel?: T;
+              collectionFallbackImage?: T;
               fallbackItems?:
                 | T
                 | {
diff --git a/src/scripts/preload-press-index-page-cms.ts b/src/scripts/preload-press-index-page-cms.ts
index 82b6966..3c66cba 100644
--- a/src/scripts/preload-press-index-page-cms.ts
+++ b/src/scripts/preload-press-index-page-cms.ts
@@ -32,8 +32,14 @@ async function main() {
   const page = pageResult.docs[0]
   if (!page) throw new Error('Press index page not found. Expected spaPath=/presse or slug=presse/press.')
 
-  const heroImage = await mediaByFilename(payload, pressIndexContent.hero.imageFilename)
+  const [heroImage, eventFallbackImage, newsFallbackImage] = await Promise.all([
+    mediaByFilename(payload, pressIndexContent.hero.imageFilename),
+    mediaByFilename(payload, pressIndexContent.events.collectionFallbackImageFilename),
+    mediaByFilename(payload, pressIndexContent.news.collectionFallbackImageFilename),
+  ])
   const { imageFilename: _heroFilename, ...heroContent } = pressIndexContent.hero
+  const { collectionFallbackImageFilename: _eventFallbackFilename, ...eventsContent } = pressIndexContent.events
+  const { collectionFallbackImageFilename: _newsFallbackFilename, ...newsContent } = pressIndexContent.news
 
   await payload.update({
     collection: 'pages',
@@ -47,6 +53,14 @@ async function main() {
           ...heroContent,
           image: heroImage,
         },
+        events: {
+          ...eventsContent,
+          collectionFallbackImage: eventFallbackImage,
+        },
+        news: {
+          ...newsContent,
+          collectionFallbackImage: newsFallbackImage,
+        },
       },
     } as never,
   })
diff --git a/src/spa/pages/Press.tsx b/src/spa/pages/Press.tsx
index 23ace13..bdb9da8 100644
--- a/src/spa/pages/Press.tsx
+++ b/src/spa/pages/Press.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ const FB = '"Inter", sans-serif';
 
 type PressIndexCms = Partial<typeof pressIndexContent> & {
   hero?: Partial<typeof pressIndexContent.hero> & { image?: unknown }
+  events?: Partial<typeof pressIndexContent.events> & { collectionFallbackImage?: unknown }
+  news?: Partial<typeof pressIndexContent.news> & { collectionFallbackImage?: unknown }
 }
 
 type PressEventItem = (typeof pressIndexContent.events.fallbackItems)[number]
@@ -24,34 +26,45 @@ type PressNewsItem = (typeof pressIndexContent.news.fallbackItems)[number]
 const fallbackText = (value: unknown, fallback: string) => typeof value === 'string' && value.length > 0 ? value : fallback;
 const fallbackArray = <T,>(value: unknown, fallback: T[]) => Array.isArray(value) && value.length ? value as T[] : fallback;
 
-const statusLabels: Record<string, string> = {
-  geplant: 'In Planung',
-  'anmeldung-offen': 'Anmeldung offen',
-  intern: 'Intern',
-  abgeschlossen: 'Abgeschlossen',
+type StatusLabel = {
+  value?: string | null
+  label?: string | null
 }
 
-const normalizeStatus = (status: unknown) => {
-  const value = fallbackText(status, 'Geplant')
-  return statusLabels[value] || value
+const statusLabelMap = (items: unknown) =>
+  fallbackArray<StatusLabel>(items, pressIndexContent.events.statusLabels).reduce<Record<string, string>>((labels, item) => {
+    const value = fallbackText(item.value, '')
+    const label = fallbackText(item.label, '')
+    if (value && label) labels[value] = label
+    return labels
+  }, {})
+
+const normalizeStatus = (status: unknown, labels: Record<string, string>, defaultStatusLabel: string) => {
+  const value = fallbackText(status, defaultStatusLabel)
+  return labels[value] || value
 }
 
-const eventFromCms = (event: CmsRouteDoc): PressEventItem => ({
-  title: String(event.title || 'Event'),
-  date: String(event.date || 'Termin folgt'),
-  location: String(event.location || event.venue || 'Bayern'),
-  cat: String(event.category || 'Event'),
-  status: normalizeStatus(event.status),
-  img: docImageUrl(event, '/images/buehne-moderatoren.jpg'),
+const eventFromCms = (
+  event: CmsRouteDoc,
+  fallbackImage: string,
+  labels: Record<string, string>,
+  eventsSection: NonNullable<PressIndexCms['events']>,
+): PressEventItem => ({
+  title: String(event.title || fallbackText(eventsSection.missingTitleLabel, pressIndexContent.events.missingTitleLabel)),
+  date: String(event.date || fallbackText(eventsSection.missingDateLabel, pressIndexContent.events.missingDateLabel)),
+  location: String(event.location || event.venue || fallbackText(eventsSection.missingLocationLabel, pressIndexContent.events.missingLocationLabel)),
+  cat: String(event.category || fallbackText(eventsSection.missingCategoryLabel, pressIndexContent.events.missingCategoryLabel)),
+  status: normalizeStatus(event.status, labels, fallbackText(eventsSection.defaultStatusLabel, pressIndexContent.events.defaultStatusLabel)),
+  img: docImageUrl(event, fallbackImage),
   desc: String(event.description || event.meta?.description || ''),
   slug: String(event.spaPath || `/presse/events/${event.slug}`),
 })
 
-const postFromCms = (post: CmsRouteDoc): PressNewsItem => ({
-  title: String(post.title || 'Presse'),
+const postFromCms = (post: CmsRouteDoc, fallbackImage: string, newsSection: NonNullable<PressIndexCms['news']>): PressNewsItem => ({
+  title: String(post.title || fallbackText(newsSection.missingTitleLabel, pressIndexContent.news.missingTitleLabel)),
   excerpt: String(post.excerpt || post.meta?.description || ''),
-  cat: String(post.cat || 'Presse'),
-  img: docImageUrl(post, '/images/gala-saal-overview.jpg', 'heroImage'),
+  cat: String(post.cat || fallbackText(newsSection.missingCategoryLabel, pressIndexContent.news.missingCategoryLabel)),
+  img: docImageUrl(post, fallbackImage, 'heroImage'),
   slug: String(post.spaPath || `/presse/blog/${post.slug}`),
 })
 
@@ -204,22 +217,34 @@ function DarkInput(props: React.InputHTMLAttributes<HTMLInputElement>) {
 const Press: React.FC = () => {
   const isMobile = useIsMobile();
   const cms = (useCmsRoute()?.doc?.pressIndex || {}) as PressIndexCms;
-  const hero = { ...pressIndexContent.hero, ...(cms.hero || {}) };
-  const eventsSection = { ...pressIndexContent.events, ...(cms.events || {}) };
-  const newsSection = { ...pressIndexContent.news, ...(cms.news || {}) };
-  const downloads = { ...pressIndexContent.downloads, ...(cms.downloads || {}) };
-  const accreditation = { ...pressIndexContent.accreditation, ...(cms.accreditation || {}) };
+  const hero = React.useMemo(() => ({ ...pressIndexContent.hero, ...(cms.hero || {}) }), [cms.hero]);
+  const eventsSection = React.useMemo(() => ({ ...pressIndexContent.events, ...(cms.events || {}) }), [cms.events]);
+  const newsSection = React.useMemo(() => ({ ...pressIndexContent.news, ...(cms.news || {}) }), [cms.news]);
+  const downloads = React.useMemo(() => ({ ...pressIndexContent.downloads, ...(cms.downloads || {}) }), [cms.downloads]);
+  const accreditation = React.useMemo(() => ({ ...pressIndexContent.accreditation, ...(cms.accreditation || {}) }), [cms.accreditation]);
   const contactLines = fallbackText(downloads.contactLines, pressIndexContent.downloads.contactLines).split('\n');
   const cmsEvents = useCmsCollection('events');
   const cmsPosts = useCmsCollection('posts');
+  const eventStatusLabels = React.useMemo(() => statusLabelMap(eventsSection.statusLabels), [eventsSection.statusLabels]);
+  const eventCollectionFallbackImage = mediaUrl(eventsSection.collectionFallbackImage, `/images/${pressIndexContent.events.collectionFallbackImageFilename}`);
+  const newsCollectionFallbackImage = mediaUrl(newsSection.collectionFallbackImage, `/images/${pressIndexContent.news.collectionFallbackImageFilename}`);
   const combinedEvents = React.useMemo(() => {
-    if (cmsEvents.length) return cmsEvents.map(eventFromCms);
+    if (cmsEvents.length) {
+      return cmsEvents.map((event) =>
+        eventFromCms(
+          event,
+          eventCollectionFallbackImage,
+          eventStatusLabels,
+          eventsSection,
+        ),
+      );
+    }
     return fallbackArray<PressEventItem>(eventsSection.fallbackItems, pressIndexContent.events.fallbackItems);
-  }, [cmsEvents, eventsSection.fallbackItems]);
+  }, [cmsEvents, eventCollectionFallbackImage, eventStatusLabels, eventsSection]);
   const combinedNews = React.useMemo(() => {
-    if (cmsPosts.length) return cmsPosts.map(postFromCms);
+    if (cmsPosts.length) return cmsPosts.map((post) => postFromCms(post, newsCollectionFallbackImage, newsSection));
     return fallbackArray<PressNewsItem>(newsSection.fallbackItems, pressIndexContent.news.fallbackItems);
-  }, [cmsPosts, newsSection.fallbackItems]);
+  }, [cmsPosts, newsCollectionFallbackImage, newsSection]);
   const [hoveredEvent, setHoveredEvent] = useState<number | null>(null);
   const [dlHovered, setDlHovered] = useState(false);
   const [submitHovered, setSubmitHovered] = useState(false);
diff --git a/src/spa/pressIndexContent.ts b/src/spa/pressIndexContent.ts
index a06aa02..c6ae70a 100644
--- a/src/spa/pressIndexContent.ts
+++ b/src/spa/pressIndexContent.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,19 @@ export const pressIndexContent = {
     heading: 'EVENTS RUND UM DEN PREIS.',
     description: 'Von der Jurysitzung bis zur festlichen Gala – alle Veranstaltungen auf einen Blick.',
     detailLabel: 'Details',
+    defaultStatusLabel: 'Geplant',
     openStatusLabel: 'Anmeldung offen',
+    missingTitleLabel: 'Event',
+    missingDateLabel: 'Termin folgt',
+    missingLocationLabel: 'Bayern',
+    missingCategoryLabel: 'Event',
+    collectionFallbackImageFilename: 'buehne-moderatoren.jpg',
+    statusLabels: [
+      { value: 'geplant', label: 'In Planung' },
+      { value: 'anmeldung-offen', label: 'Anmeldung offen' },
+      { value: 'intern', label: 'Intern' },
+      { value: 'abgeschlossen', label: 'Abgeschlossen' },
+    ],
     fallbackItems: [
       {
         title: 'Preisverleihung 2026',
@@ -50,6 +62,9 @@ export const pressIndexContent = {
     heading: 'NACHRICHTEN & EINBLICKE.',
     description: 'Berichte, Hintergründe und Einblicke rund um den bayerischen Mittelstand und den BMP.',
     readMoreLabel: 'Weiterlesen',
+    missingTitleLabel: 'Presse',
+    missingCategoryLabel: 'Presse',
+    collectionFallbackImageFilename: 'gala-saal-overview.jpg',
     fallbackItems: [
       {
         title: 'Wie Bayerns KMU die KI nutzen',