Schibsted completes acquisition of TV4 and MTV from Sweden’s Telia Company

Nordic company Schibsted Media has completed its acquisition of broadcasters TV4 in Sweden and MTV in Finland for SEK6.55bn (US$615m) through a deal with Swedish telecoms firm Telia Company.

Siv Juvik Tveitne

Magnus Sandberg

Schibsted said the transaction, agreed in February, marks an important step towards building a stronger and more unified Nordic media presence, combining credible journalism with engaging content across all platforms and formats.

Norway-headquartered Schibsted includes many media brands, such as news outlet Aftonbladet, Svenska Dagbladet, news aggregator Omni and podcast platform Podme.

TV4 and MTV are independent news providers while being known for their entertainment, sports and drama content. TV4 has a strong position in news, sports and entertainment on all media platformsin Sweden.

Schibsted Media CEO Siv Juvik Tveitne said: “Since Aftonbladet became part of Schibsted in 1996, we have been committed to Sweden, which makes this a truly historic day for us.

“As competition in the media market intensifies, it is more important than ever to build complete and nationally anchored media positions with reach and investment capacity to safeguard editorial independence. This acquisition is a significant step towards creating a leading Nordic media destination with strong, independent brands.”

In Finland, the acquisition of MTV represents a major step for Schibsted, which is already represented in the country through Podme.

“MTV’s strong position in the Finnish market and attractive brands fit perfectly with our ambitions to build a stronger and more unified Nordic media presence. We look forward to supporting MTV’s leading position in news, sports, drama and entertainment into the future,” said Juvik Tveitnes.