OSLO, NORWAY – September 7, 2016 – Schibsted Media Group, an innovative leader in digital media and marketplaces, today announces that the product and tech departments at its Schibsted Publishing titles and sites, including Aftonbladet, Aftenposten, VG, Bergens Tidende, Stavanger Aftenblad, Fædrelandsvennen and Omni, have come together as one team to create world-class products and platforms that will further strengthen the competitive advantage of Schibsted’s publishers and ultimately help ensure the future of independent digital publishing. The product and tech team at Svenska Dagbladet will also join the product and tech organization later this year.
“At Schibsted, we have strong media houses with a proven track record of delivering excellent journalism,” said Rolv Erik Ryssdal, Chief Executive Officer, Schibsted Media Group. “Preserving the integrity of independent, investigative journalism in a digital world requires us to make a united and concerted effort across our different brands. We must create new products, tools and platforms and are convinced we will be able to strengthen our competitive position against larger tech companies and secure a sustainable future for our media houses. Today, we take a major step in that direction by creating one of the largest product and technology organizations in Europe – and one of the few dedicated to the vital mission of a free press and independent journalism.”
Recent collaboration by both the media houses and teams in the new Schibsted Publishing product and tech organization has already resulted in a new, shared product suite for the digital newsroom. The Schibsted Publishing Platform is a unified platform for the creation, distribution and monetization of content. Already, Omni, Aftenposten, and Svenska Dagbladet are using the Schibsted Publishing Platform’s creator tools to publish their content, with Aftonbladet, VG, Bergens Tidende, Stavanger Aftenblad, and Fædrelandsvennen launching in the coming weeks and months. In an era of algorithmic curation, the Schibsted Publishing Platform will help increase the opportunity for Schibsted’s editors to communicate and distribute the important stories that affect society.
“Before, our tech teams worked in silos. If you were at Aftenposten, you didn’t have much connection to your counterparts in Aftonbladet or Bergens Tidende,” said Espen Egil Hansen, Editor-in-Chief, Aftenposten. “Now, our product and tech employees have access to more resources, more knowledge sharing and more opportunities to advance their careers. We already see this larger collaboration bearing fruit in the form of the Schibsted Publishing Platform. Our journalists have a best-in-class product that lets them focus on telling the critical stories shaping our world.”
The new Schibsted Product and Tech Publishing organization will employ hundreds of professionals in all areas of product, tech and user experience. In addition to Schibsted Publishing Platform, the new Schibsted Product and Tech Publishing organization will be responsible for all end-user facing Schibsted Publishing sites and apps, as well as research and development of next-generation products and experiences.
“We’re excited to come together as one organization to define the future of digital media and publishing,” said Terje Seljeseth, Chief Product Officer, Schibsted Media Group. “When we leverage the unparalleled reach of our media houses with a larger technology team and stronger resources, we can bring great products to life. Ultimately, we’ll help our media houses compete against the giants of the web when it comes to user experience, monetization and distribution.”
In addition to the Schibsted Publishing Platform, Schibsted Product and Tech is already actively developing a new advertising platform together with its media houses and marketplaces. In partnership with AppNexus, the world’s leading independent advertising technology company, the new Schibsted Advertising Platform will help publishers uncover more revenue opportunities and monetize content more effectively. Schibsted’s publishers in Norway, along with the Polaris Media Group, are migrating to the Schibsted Advertising Platform.
About Schibsted Media Group
Schibsted Media Group is an international media group with 6,900 employees in 30 countries. From Norway to Malaysia, from Brazil to Sweden – millions of people around the world interact with Schibsted’s popular digital services every day. In Scandinavia, our media houses such as VG, Aftenposten, Bergens Tidende, Aftonbladet and Svenska Dagbladet keep people informed and updated on important issues in society. Our digital marketplaces such as Finn.no, Blocket.se and Leboncoin.fr help people buy and sell new and old things. In addition, our growth companies such as Shpock, Let’s Deal and Compricer provide our users with popular, digital consumer services that make their everyday life a bit easier. Together, this fulfills Schibsted Media Group’s mission of ‘Empowering people in their daily life’. Learn more at www.schibsted.com.
For more information:
Thomas Ford
Head of Public Relations
Phone: +47 902 38 811
Email: thomas.ford@schibsted.no