Oslo-based heavyweight news-led Schibsted Media has agreed to acquire from Nordic and Baltic telco Telia its TV and Media business led by flagship TV companies TV4 in Sweden and MTV in Finland, the partners announced Tuesdsay.
The transaction, worth SEK 6.55 billion ($615.3 million), is anticipated to close in the third quarter of 2025 at the latest, subject to customary regulatory approval.
Telia’s TV & Media business employs around 1,200 staff members across Sweden and Finland. In Sweden, it comprises Sweden’s leading commercial TV4 advertising-funded and pay-TV channels, the TV4 Play streaming service, on top of the Fotbollskanalen and Köket websites. The Finnish operations include the long-standing leading commercial broadcaster MTV and its pay-TV channels, alongside its Katsomo streamer.
The Tinius Trust-owned Schibsted Media, which controls Norway’s biggest news brands including Aftenposten, VG, E24, Bergens Tidende, said that pact marks its reaffirmed commitment to investing inindependent journalism, high-quality content and attractive media products across the Nordics.
“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,” said CEO Siv Juvik Tveitnes.
In Sweden, the Norwegian group controls the digital media brands Aftonbladet, Svenska Dagbladet, Omni and podcast platform Podme and will therefore consolidate and widen its offer in news, sports, entertainment across all media platforms. In Finland, the acquisition of MTV is seen as a “step-change” for Schibsted Media which was only present in the media landscape through Podme.
Meanwhile Telia, which had been trying for a while to divest its TV and media operations, will now be able to focus on its core connectivity business.
Patrik Hofbauer, Telia president and CEO said: “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.”
Telia will still continue to distribute TV4 and MTV’s content through its consumer TV offering.
In 2024 Telia’s TV & Media business had external revenues of SEK 8.16 billion ($766.8 million) and around 887,000 subscribers.
