Press release -
MTG invests in Splay, Sweden’s leading YouTube network
MTGx, the digital accelerator of leading international entertainment group Modern Times Group, is investing in Splay, Sweden’s biggest YouTube Multi Channel Network (‘MCN’), by buying a 35% stake in the company for an undisclosed cash consideration. Splay is Sweden’s leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment content on YouTube, and has a well established and fast growing subscriber base.
The investment in splay is part of MTG’s digital content strategy, with the goal to develop the Group’s overall use of its leading entertainment portfolio. ‘Digital first’ content is an important part of this strategy, and companies like Splay successfully use YouTube as a key distribution channel due to the flexibility and accessibility and interactivity it offers their fans.
Splay is Sweden’s biggest MCN, and already offers viewers over 50 specialized channels. This has enabled Splay to attract over two million subscribers since its launch in February 2013, with over 330 million video views. Splay has approximately 10 million viewers a month, with 1.8 million unique viewers. The company’s focus is on offering exciting content which is specifically tailored for the digital environment. This enables Splay to attract a core 13-25 demographic, and it has already delivered successful campaigns for popular brands like Unilever, Twentieth Century Fox and Canon. Splay’s content spans humour, music, extreme sports, fashion, beauty, gaming, vlogs and podcasts.
“Splay’s large fan base shows the fantastic job they have done, and we look forward to helping them accelerate their development even further. Splay has a proven track record of making content that people love to watch, combined with the ability to deliver successful advertising campaigns for leading consumer brands” said Rikard Steiber, Chief Digital Officer of Modern Times Group and CEO of MTGx. “Together with Splay we can offer viewers a better and more varied entertainment experience than ever before, and I look forward to working together”.
“The future stars of TV are made on YouTube, and an investment by a leading player like MTG is a great testament to that. With the support of MTGx we will be able to accelerate our evolution and help our talent to deliver even better and more exciting digital content”, added Vigor Sörman, Founder of Splay.
Visit Splay and watch their video content on YouTube on http://www.youtube.com/user/SPLAYsverige.
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Related links
Topics
- Web media
Categories
- video on demand
- avod
- internet tv
- tv
- youtube talent
- investment
- m&a
- mcn
- multi channel network
- youtube
- mtgx
- splay
- creative content production
- digital content
MTGx is the digital accelerator of Modern Times Group, and is focused on leveraging MTG’s digital assets and industry leading content portfolio, to create and deliver world class entertainment experiences. MTGx is committed to increasing the development speed of MTG’s digital entertainment services across the world, and provides centralised digital skills and platforms to all of MTG’s businesses. MTGx also works closely with innovation and startup communities around the world, to find and develop the entertainment services and products that will drive entertainment in the future.
Modern Times Group (MTG) is an international entertainment broadcasting group with operations that span four continents and include free-TV, pay-TV, radio and content production businesses. MTG’s Viasat Broadcasting operates free-TV and pay-TV channels, which are available on Viasat’s own satellite platforms and third party networks, and also distributes TV content over the internet.
