Press release

The Media Ownership Authority has decided not to intervene against Media Øst`s acquisition of 66 percent of the shares in Decade AS. Decade is the publisher of the free local newspaper Sarpsborg I DAG. Media Øst is a subsidiary company of A-pressen ASA.

Sarpsborg I DAG is distributed to all households in the city of Sarpsborg. A-pressen already owns the subscription newspaper Sarpsborg Arbeiderblad, with a market share of 72 percent of the households in Sarpsborg. The acquisition of Sarpsborg I DAG has as a result that A‑pressen controls all local newspapers in Sarpsborg. The local radio-channel Radio 3 is the only alternative media in the local media marked. The Authority therefore concludes that A‑pressen has a significant ownership position in the relevant marked.

The Ownership Authority has under doubt concluded that the acquisition is not contrary to the purpose of the Media Ownership Act. The purpose as set out in Article 1 is “to promote freedom of expression, genuine opportunities to express one’s opinions and a comprehensive range of media”.

The reason for the decision not to intervene is the uncertain possible regional consequences of an intervention.

During the last few years A-pressens position in the advertisement market in Østfold and Follo has been weakened. The newspapers Fredrikstad-Avisa Demokraten and Moss Dagblad owned by A-pressen have suffered because of this. Both newspapers have had economical problems, but have been kept alive because they contribute to A-pressen’s position in the advertising market. A-pressen claimed that an intervention against the acquisition of Sarpsborg I DAG may lead to a closure of Fredrikstad-Avisa Demokraten and Moss Dagblad. The Media Ownership Authority cannot discount such a consequence.

Another factor is that the free newspaper Sarpsborg I DAG has not so far been significant in relation to the purpose of the Media Ownership Act. However, even though free papers generally do not play the same role in relation to freedom of expression and information as paid newspapers, the Media Ownership Authority does not exclude the possibility to intervene against acquisitions of free newspapers.

On this background the Media Ownership Authority concludes that the acquisition is not contrary to the purpose of the Media Ownership Act.

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

Press contacts: Director General Sigve Gramstad, tel. +47 22 47 68 80, e-mail: sg@eierskapstilsynet.no and Deputy Director General Gudbrand Guthus, tel. +47 22 47 68 85, e-mail: gg@eierskapstilsynet.no.