This week, Nordic Entertainment Group and ViacomCBS announced a joint venture where the two copmanies will partner in the launch of Pluto TV in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

ViacomCBS will launch a new FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV)/ AVOD (advertising-based video on demand service) version of Pluto TV to Nordic audiences in 2022, which combines NENT’s ad-supported service Viafree with Pluto TV. NENT Group will serve as the platform’s advertising sales partner. The platform will provide curated channels and on-demand programming, both local and global.

Pluto TV launched in 2014 and was acquired by Viacom five years later in a USD 340 million deal, only months before Viacom reunited with CBS. In August 2021, Pluto TV reached the milestone of USD 1 billion annual revenue, one year ahead of plan according to Bob Bakish, CEO of ViacomCBS. Pluto’s free, ad-supported offering is currently available in 25 countries around the world and has 54 million active users each month, according to ViacomCBS’s Q3 2021 report. Further, the Q3 report shows that Pluto TV’s revenues grew 99% year-over-year in Q3 2021.

Podimo, a Copenhagen-based subscription service for podcasts and audio entertainment, has secured USD 78 million in a Series B round of funding. The ambition is to support further expansion and creation of its own podcasts.

Mediavision’s latest figures on the Nordic podcast market shows that in Denmark, Podimo had a daily reach among daily podcast listeners (15-74-year-olds) of 10% as of fall 2021. This makes Podimo the fourth largest podcast service on the Danish market, in terms of daily reach. Spotify, Apple Podcasts and DR claim the top positions. Globally, Podimo is probably best known for translating English-language podcasts produced by iHeartMedia and Wondery into additional languages.

This is not the first time Podimo has raised capital. Podimo’s has raised a total of USD 109 million in funding since 2019. Its most recent round was in February when it raised USD 13.6 million.

At the European News Media Forum held this Monday in Brussels, the European Commission announced its support for developing a pan-European newsroom.

The agency, which will be named “European Newsroom”, is located in Brussels, and begin operations in mid-2022. The agency will receive funding from the European Commission worth EUR 1.76 million for 2022 and 2023. The coalition will be led by Germany’s DPA and include 16 agencies from both EU countries and non-EU states, such as Albania and Serbia. Major press agencies AFP and EFE will also contribute.

Marie Nilsson: ”Spenderarbyxorna har gjort barnhushållen högintressanta” – Dagens Media 

Spelvärlden biljett till en yngre publik – Dagens Media 

Daniel Eks gratis-flört borgar för en ny jättemarknad – DI Digital 

Sweden stacks SVODs with 350,000 new subscriptions in 12 months – TBI 

Sweden Ups SVOD Sub Base by 350,000 – Media Play News 

Sporträttigheterna: ”Fler aktörer kommer att konkurrera” – Journalisten 

Ilta-Sanoma, PlayPilot launch streaming guide in Finland – Rapid TV News