Schibsted Media has entered an agreement to acquire Telia Company’s TV & Media business, consisting of TV4 in Sweden and MTV in Finland, at an enterprise value of SEK 6.55 billion.

“TV4 and MTV are trusted and independent news providers and national cornerstones for the protection of democratic values, as well as being known for their high-quality entertainment and drama production. In this context, Schibsted Media stands as an ideal long-term owner. With the backing of the Tinius Trust, Schibsted Media is dedicated to preserving and strengthening TV4 and MTV as reliable and independent media providers,” says Siv Juvik Tveitnes, CEO of Schibsted Media.

Schibsted Media states that, together with TV4 and MTV, it will seek opportunities to explore complementary strengths in personalization, advertising, content rights, and subscription models —attractive to both users and advertisers.

“Our priority is to focus on what Telia does best – providing world-class connectivity on which millions of people rely every day – and this agreement clearly reflects that. We have an opportunity to secure a new home for TV & Media with a long-term Nordic owner that can further develop the business while maintaining its editorial independence. Thanks to a multi-year distribution partnership, we will continue offering TV4 and MTV’s content as part of the attractive line-up that has helped make Telia’s TV customers the most satisfied in Sweden for nine of the past 10 years,” says Patrik Hofbauer, Telia Company President and CEO.

In Sweden, the TV & Media business includes the TV4 family of ad-funded and pay-TV channels, the TV4 Play streaming service, and the Fotbollskanalen and Köket websites. The Finnish operations consist of MTV’s ad-funded and pay-TV channels, alongside the MTV Katsomo streaming service. TV4 and MTV currently employ approximately 1,200 people across the two countries.

The transaction is anticipated to close by Q3 2025, subject to customary regulatory approvals.

The Danish podcasting and audiobook service Podimo has now surpassed one million paying subscribers globally. The company was founded in 2019 and is available across six markets in Europe and Latin America. In the Nordics, the service is available in all countries except Sweden.

“Reaching 1 million paying subscribers is a massive achievement from our humble beginnings in Denmark, and a testament to our model and strategy of investing in local content and building strong relationships with local creators. By bringing this approach to many markets, we have cemented ourselves as a global player,” said Morten Strunge, CEO and Founder of Podimo.

Podimo also announced that it is now profitable in three markets, one of which is Norway, where the service was launched three years ago.

“The fact that we are profitable after only three years shows that there is a willingness to pay for quality content in Norway. Norwegian listeners want well-curated content that is perceived as relevant, and this is precisely what we focus on. We work closely with creators to offer content that engages, entertains and builds loyalty over time,” Fride von Porat, CEO of Podimo Norway, told Kampanje.

Beyond the Nordics, Podimo is seeing momentum in regions like the Netherlands, where the service launched two and half years ago, and is now also a profitable market. “Our growth goes well beyond the Nordics. Most of our subscribers come from our other markets, where we’re generating 10-15x more revenue per listener than advertising and putting that directly back into creators’ pockets,” said Strunge.

Late last week, Viaplay Group presented its Q4 and full-year earnings. Here are a few highlights from the report:

• The group reported total net sales of SEK 4,837 million in Q4, a slight decrease from SEK 4,903 million in Q4 2023.
• Total operating income before associated company income (ACI) and items affecting comparability (IAC) of SEK 174 million, compared to SEK -230 million in Q4 2023.
• Core operations 2025 full-year financial targets remain unchanged, with low-to-mid single-digit percentage revenue growth and positive free cash flow reiterated.
• Viaplay’s stock was trading as high as +25% after the report was released on Thursday.

Mediavision: Podcast listening sets new record in Sweden – Podnews

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