The number of digital subscriptions of the largest Baltic media group, AS
Ekspress Grupp increased by 73% across all Baltic States and totalled 81 254 at
the end of December.
* The number of digital subscriptions of AS Ekspress Meedia that publishes the
news portal Delfi, newspapers Eesti Päevaleht, Maaleht, Eesti Ekspress and
several popular magazines increased by 53% year-over-year and reached
49 696.
* At the same time, the number of digital subscriptions of AS Õhtuleht, 50% of
which is owned by Ekspress Grupp, increased by 36% to 13 820.
* The market share of Ekspress Grupp in the digital subscriptions of all
Estonian media outlets (according to the data by the Estonian Association of
Media Enterprises) was 50% at the end of December.
* In Latvia, the number of digital subscriptions of Ekspress Grupp increased
by more than 2.5 times and totalled 11 143 at the year-end. In Lithuania,
the number of digital subscriptions totalled 6 595 at the year-end,
increasing by almost 700% in a year. Both in Latvia and Lithuania, digital
subscriptions are not as widespread as in Estonia with Ekspress Grupp
launching them in the market in 2019.
The Chairman of the Management Board of Ekspress Grupp Mari-Liis Rüütsalu:
"The year 2020 was a breakthrough year for digital subscriptions of our
periodicals in all markets. The driver behind the growth of subscriptions was
the change in the attitudes and habits of people who are more willing to pay for
digital content in their home language. The general background also supported
this change - in the world dominated by fragmented information societies,
objective journalism is increasingly more appreciated.
Ekspress Grupp has been the most successful Estonian media company in terms of
its digital subscriptions. The most popular subscription is Delfi's complete
package that provides access to the largest media outlets of Ekspress Grupp
(except for Õhtuleht).
We launched the sale of paid content in Latvia and Lithuania only in 2019. The
preliminary results in these markets also demonstrate that readers are willing
to gradually embrace the digital subscription model. We expect higher growth in
the Latvian and Lithuanian market in the upcoming years.
At the time when two-thirds of the digital advertising funds of the Baltic
States is moving tax-free into the hands of major global platforms, such as
Google and Facebook, the addition of new digital subscribers is crucial for the
survival of local journalism."
Detailed overview of digital subscriptions
Digital subscriptions 31.12.2020 30.09.2020 change 31.12.2019 change
AS Ekspress Meedia 49 696 46 362 7% 32 562 53%
AS Õhtuleht Kirjastus 13 820 12 653 9% 10 197 36%
Delfi AS (Latvia) 11 143 7 305 53% 3 284 239%
Delfi UAB (Lithuania) 6 595 3 348 97% 834 691%
Total Ekspress Grupp 81 254 69 668 17% 46 877 73%
Total market (Estonia) 126 601 113 873 11% 84 965 49%
The strategic goal of Ekspress Grupp is organic growth of its existing digital
business, with the main growth driver being digital subscriptions. Since January
2021, the Group will start disclosing the number of digital subscriptions of its
media outlets in all Baltic States once a quarter (on the 12(th) day of the
month following the end of the quarter).
Mari-Liis Rüütsalu
Chairman of the Management Board of AS Ekspress Grupp
mariliis.ryytsalu@egrupp.ee (mailto:mariliis.ryytsalu@egrupp.ee)
Phone +372 512 2591
AS Ekspress Grupp is the leading media group in the Baltic States whose key
activities include web media content production, publishing of newspapers and
magazines and provision of printing services in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Ekspress Grupp that launched its operations in 1989 employs 1700 people, owns
leading web media portals in the Baltic States and publishes the most popular
daily and weekly newspapers as well as the majority of the most popular
magazines in Estonia.
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