Newsletter 13th of December

NYHETSBREV

13 December 2023

These are the main topics this week:

  • Mediavision: New record for digital listening in Q3 – more listeners than live radio
  • Schibsted initiates process to sell its news media operations
  • Entertainment industry unites to fight EU law that would ban geo-blocking

Insikt Ljudmarknad

This analysis provides in-depth understanding of the entire audio market – including audiobooks, music, podcasts, and radio. The analysis focuses on the digital transformation of both listening and consumer payments, on both aggregated and actor specific levels.

 

 

Bonnier’s local newspapers surpass half a million subscribers

 

Spotify is not renewing two of its most prestigious podcasts

 

Apple’s Shazam app now has more than 300m monthly active users

 

Netflix recommissions Squid Game: The Challenge

 

MEDIA

Schibsted initiates process to sell its news media operations

 

The Norwegian media group Schibsted has begun a process to split into two companies. Its’ media operations will be sold to Schibsted’s majority owner, the foundation Tinius.

 

Schibsted’s current News Media business operation, the ownership stakes in Polaris Media ASA, and other media assets, would be carved out from Schibsted into a separate company. Schibsted Media, which is the preliminary name of this company, is planned to be sold to, and privately held by, the foundation Tinius. Schibsted’s remaining businesses, “Schibsted Marketplace”, will remain as a publicly listed company on the Oslo Stock Exchange. It will consist of the current business areas which are named Nordic Marketplaces, delivery, and growth & investments.

 

The total transaction value is NOK 6.2 billion, consisting of NOK 5.4 billion for Schibsted’s News Media business area, Schibsted’s minority stakes in Norsk Telegrambyrå AS, TT Nyhetsbyrån AB, and Lokalavisene AS. The stake in Polaris is valued at NOK 0.8 billion based on the weighted average price of Polaris the week prior to the signing of the agreement.

 

 

Execution of the final transaction agreements and closing is expected in the first half of next year. The company’s shares in Viaplay Group, which was acquired by Schibsted this summer, is not a part of the media operation sale. Schibsted’s stock rose around 13 percent Monday morning after the announcement.

 

Insight: Nordic Media & Markets

This analysis tracks the progress of individual and household payments per service and actor, as well as overall media expenditures. The primary focus is mapping out the allocation of expenditures across audio, video, text, and access. Published biannually.

 

Disney rolls out beta Hulu on Disney+

 

Netflix reveals host and premier date of Love is Blind Sweden

 

Golden Globe nominations are here

 

Netflix releases extensive viewing figures

 

VIDEO

Entertainment industry unites to fight EU law that would ban geo-blocking

 

Over 600 European film and TV companies, as well as Hollywood studios, sports leagues, and film festivals, have signed a joint letter in opposition to the European Parliament proposed legislation to ban geo-blocking of audiovisual services across the EU.

 

Today, Wednesday, the European Parliament will vote on the re-assessment of the current geo-blocking regulation. In 2018, the EU banned geo-blocking for most sales of goods and services as part of a wide-reaching legislation. However, audiovisual content was excluded from the ban. The EU parliament will now vote whether to adopt a proposal that would see audio-visual content included in EU regulations that ban the use of geo-blocking technology to enforce territorial exclusivity for film and TV content.

 

Media companies have long argued that territorial exclusivity is key to their business models. The joint letter states “that getting rid of the ban would jeopardize the creative and economic sustainability of the film and TV sectors in Europe. This would result in a drop in the number and range of films and audiovisual content produced, with a smaller variety of languages. Distribution and circulation would be drastically reduced across the EU. This would have a direct and negative impact on consumer welfare: significant reduction of choice in content, distribution, and access options as well as a surge in prices.”

 

Industry representatives claim that disrupting the model by banning geo-blocking would sharply reduce the value of most European content, reduce the incentive to invest in work from less widely spoken local languages or in content with less obvious multi-territory appeal.

Insight: Nordic TV & Streaming

New version published! This analysis covers both the TV- and streaming markets in the Nordic countries. It rests on three pillars: the consumers, the market, and the actors. Analyzing the consumers takes us far – but not all the way. Studying the actors and the market as a whole is just as important.

 

Italy deploys “piracy shield” to protect online sports

 

Netflix presents its next live streamed sports event

 

DAZN to launch free tier globally next year

 

NRK removes access to internal systems for employees with Tiktok

 

Mediavision in the News

Return of media piracy fuelling other crimes, expert says – Yle

 

Experterna: Medierna som går framåt när ekonomin viker – Dagens Media

 

Krisen i tv-branschen fortsätter – nu ökar piratkopieringen – Aftonbladet

 

Tittarna accepterar medioker tv när de inte behöver betala – Expressen

 

Marie Nilsson: Så påverkas innehållet av tv-krisen – Dagens Media

 

Sweden: Household media spend reaches record level in Q3 – Senal News

 

Köp av medietjänster ökar: ”Ett hyfsat billigt nöje” – SR

 

Svenske husstandes medieforbrug slår ny rekord – Mediawatch

 

Trots krisande marknad – medieutgifterna ökar – Dagens Media

 

Summerat: Svenskarnas kontodelning kostar en miljard – Tidningen Näringslivet

 

Trots tuffa tider för hushållen – många fortsätter betala för strömningstjänster – SVT

Industry Events

 

MIPTV: 15-17 April 2024, Cannes, France

 

* Mediavision will attend
** Mediavision will present