Press release

The Media Ownership Authority has concluded that the legal requirements to intervene against A-pressen ASA’s acquisition of Lofot-Tidende are fulfilled, and the Authority has decided that A-pressen has to divest its ownership interest in the newspaper.

The Media Ownership Authority has concluded that A-pressen has a significant ownership position in the local market Vestvågøy, Flakstad and Moskenes in Lofoten, and that this is contrary to the purpose set out in section 1 of the Act on media ownership. A-pressen owned aplready the newspapers Lofotposten and Nordlands Framtid, the two other newspapers which have this local market as part of their own market.

In October 1998 A-pressen bought all shares in Lofoten Kommunikasjon AS, the company which publishes Lofot-Tidende. The newspaper has two weekly editions bought in Leknes in Vestvågøy. Lofot-Tidende had in 1998 a circulation of 4 707 copies. It is considered as a newspaper of good quality, with a sound economy. A-pressen is Norway’s largest owner of local newspapers, and is the largest owner of newspapers in the north of Norway.

The Media Ownership Authority has decided that A-pressen must divest its ownership interest in Lofot-Tidende within six months. The new owner(s) must be independent of A-pressen, and shall be approved by the Authority. Until the divestment has been concluded, A-pressen cannot take action or refrain from taking action that may reduce the market value or competition power of Lofot‑Tidende. Lofoten Kommunikasjon AS owns shares in Harstad Avisproduksjon AS, which publishes Bladet Harstad. The ownership interest in Harstad Avisproduksjon AS is not included in the decision, and the shares may be kept by A-pressen.

The Media Ownership Act entered into force 1 January 1999, and the purpose of the Act is to promote freedom of expression, genuine opportunities to express one’s opinions and a comprehensive range of media. The Media Ownership Authority has in 1999, in addition to new cases, also dealt with acquisitions in the media market which took place from the adoption of the Act in 1997 until the entering into force of the Act  on 1 January 1999.

The Authority’s decision (only in Norwegian) is located on the Internet under http://www.eierskapstilsynet.no. Copies will also be forwarded on request.

Press contact: Director General Sigve Gramstad, tel +47 22 47 68 80, e-mail sg@eierskapstilsynet.no.