Programme licences of MTV to remain in force

On 15 May 2025, the Government granted advance approval of the change in effective control of MTV Oy. The Government will not cancel the programme licences of MTV Oy for television broadcasting despite a change in the effective control of the company.

MTV Oy released information on 12 March 2025 about a corporate acquisition where the sole control of MTV will be transferred from Telia Company AB of Sweden to the Norwegian Schibsted Media AS. The acquisition is expected to take place by the end of the third quarter of 2025 at the latest. In its decision, the Government undertakes to permit MTV Oy to continue its licensed television broadcasting in Finland even after the change in ownership due to the acquisition.

MTV is Finland’s leading commercial television company and a large commercial news media. It currently holds 14 television programme licences. Of these, the MTV3 programme licence has been granted for public interest television broadcasting, which means that its daily broadcasts include news and current affairs programmes as well as domestic content. MTV has stated that after the change in effective control its television broadcasting would continue in accordance with the terms of the licence. 

If a change takes place in the effective control of a holder of a television programme licence, the licensing authority decides whether to cancel the licence due to the change. The licence holder may, if it so desires, request an advance decision on the matter. In this case, the Government considers that the conditions laid down in the Act on Electronic Communication Services for approving a change in effective control have been met.

Inquiries:

Sini Wirén, Senior Adviser for Communications, sini.wiren(at)gov.fi, tel. +358 295 342 532