Press release
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Østfoldpressen is subordinated to Media Øst AS, which is a subsidiary company of A-pressen ASA. Øvre Holding is a holding company with 51 percent of the shares in Smaalenene Medier AS, which is the publisher of the newspapers Øvre Smaalenene, Indre Smaalenene Avis and Enebakk Avis.
A-pressen owns the remaining shares in Smaalenene Medier. The acquisition of Øvre Holding thereby gives A-pressen control over the publishing company Smaalenene Medier.
Øvre Smaalenene and Indre Smaalenene Avis are published in a region of the county Østfold. There are no other local newspapers in this area. Enebakk avis is published in Enebakk in the county of Akershus.
The Media Ownership Authority concludes that A-pressen has a significant ownership position in the relevant marked, but the ownership position 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 conclusion is based on the fact that A-pressen already before the acquisition had a strong ownership position and influence in Smaalenene Medier, and that the acquisition does not in this case change the conditions for the freedom of expression or media pluralism in the local area.
The Media Ownership Authority therefore 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.
Last modified 2005-04-13 03:27