The Swedish digital magazine subscription service Readly reported its Q4 and full-year earnings last week. Here are some key highlights:

• Readly reports full-year profitability for the first time, boosted by significant revenue growth, improved margins and free cash flows.
• Revenue in Q4 totalled at SEK 182.8 million, an increase of 7.2 per cent compared to Q4 2023.
• The number of full-paying subscribers decreased 8 % in Q4 to 427,227 compared to the same period last year.
• Operating results in Q4 (earnings before interest and tax) were SEK 9.7 million, compared to SEK 3.7 million in Q4 2023, corresponding to an operating margin of 5.3%.
• The operating result for the full year of 2024 was SEK 31.3 million, compared to SEK -55.1 million in 2023.

Tomorrow, Viaplay will present its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings. Ahead of the release, the company has unveiled its content lineup for spring 2025.

Viaplay’s lineup is heavily focused on documentaries and unscripted series. Among the announced titles are a reality series featuring Swedish author Camilla Läckberg and St. Göran’s Hospital, which follows the daily lives of healthcare workers at an emergency hospital.

Two scripted drama series are also included: the second season of the Swedish dramedy The Meaning of Life and the fifth season of the Norwegian crime series Wisting. Alexander Tanno, Viaplay’s content manager, told Di that more drama series may be added later in the year but also noted that the company has shifted its programming strategy.

“It’s no secret that it’s been a very tough time. But looking at the content, this spring feels like a comeback. We’ve made a lot of adjustments, and I have high hopes that we will reach a large audience,” he said.

Outside the Nordics, Viaplay is set to launch two new linear channels in the Dutch market next month. The channels, Viaplay TV and Viaplay TV+, will initially be available via television providers Delta and Odido.

Both channels will focus on sports. Viaplay TV is a free-to-air channel featuring live football, Formula 1 practice sessions, among other things. Viaplay TV+ is a premium channel priced at EUR 16.99 per month, that will offer all Formula 1 sessions, major Premier League matches, and the World Darts Championship.

This weekend, both the Financial Times and Bloomberg published reports citing “sources familiar with the matter,” outlining Spotify’s plans for a new Hi-Fi tier. Several key details were consistent across both articles.

According to the reports, the new tier will be called Music Pro and will cost USD 18 per month, six dollars more than the current Premium subscription. It is expected to offer three main features: higher-quality audio, early access to concert tickets, and the possibility to mix or remix tracks.

Subscribers will be able to mix songs from different artists, with some of these features powered by AI. Spotify is also experimenting with different ways to sell concert tickets, including offering fans access to presales or better seats. The company has reportedly held preliminary talks with promoters and ticket sellers, though no final agreements have been made.
 

Competing services like Apple Music and Amazon Music Unlimited already offer higher-quality audio, while platforms such as Tidal and SoundCloud provide remixing tools. Bloomberg states that Spotify has been working on the new tier for a couple of years, and has sought to secure the rights from music companies for the new initiatives.

Both reports claim that Spotify aims to launch the new tier later this year, though no official date has been set yet. The rollout is expected to be done in different stages, with new tools and features being introduced over time.

Podcastlyssnandet på ny rekordnivå i Sverige – Omni

Over 700,000 households in Sweden now have access to illegal IPTV – Nordisk Film & TV Fond

Research: Sweden adds 1m SVoD subs in 2024 – Advanced Television

Nytt rekord för stacking 2024  – Dagens Media

Marie Nilsson: Med lite tur blir 2025 ett ljust medieår – Dagens Media

Svenske unge tilbringer næsten en time om dagen på at se videoer på sociale medier – Mediawatch

Apparna avslöjar svenskarnas dåliga vanor – Dagens Industri

Research: Half Norwegian households now have streaming bundles via operators – Advanced Television

2025 preview: Who drives scripted commissioning next year? – Nordisk Film & TV Fond

Tiktok störst bland unga – det blir konsekvenserna – Expressen

Stadig flere velger strømming med reklame: – Lar seg ikke skremme – Kampanje

Strømming med reklame fortsetter å vokse kraftig i Norge – KOM24