Modern Times Group and Metro: landmarks
Landmarks
This chronology is indicative only, dealing with Kinnevik, Modern Times Group and Metro.
Sponsored links
It covers -
- beginnings (1936)
- Kinnevik moves into media (1986)
- Metro (1995)
- expansion into Eastern Europe (2000)
Context is provided by the broader communications and media timeline on this site.
Beginnings
1936 Robert von Horn, Wilhelm Klingspor and Hugo Stenbeck form Aktiebolaget Kinnevik with stakes in Mellersta Sveriges Lantbruks AB, AB Lidköpings Konfektyr Industri and Korsnäs Sågverks AB
1937 Kinnevik buys chocolate manufacturer Nordiska Suchard and iron foundry Halmstads Järnverk
1954 lists as Investment AB Kinnevik
1984 electronics group Techvik AB
1985 Kinnevik becomes Industriförvaltnings AB Kinnevik
1985 launches satellite system for TV distribution
Moves into media
1986 founds Tele2
1987 launches local cable-tv networks are launched
1987 Kinnevik begins publishing magazines, including Z monthly
1987 TV3 launched in Sweden as Scandinavia's first commercial tv channel
1988 TV3 broadcasting extended to Denmark and Norway
1988 Strix launches independent tv production
1989 launch of pay-tv channel TV1000 and TV-Shop
1990 acquisition of majority shareholding in Svensk Text (SDI Media)
1991 TV4 granted license as Sweden's third terrestrial tv station
1991 Kinnevik acquires 30% shareholding in TV4
1991 launch of Viasat DTH satellite pay-tv platform
1993 P4 Radio Hele Norge receives national commercial radio broadcasting license in Norway
1993 first commercial radio licenses obtained in Sweden
1993 TV3 commences Teletext broadcasting
1993 terrestrial tv channels launched in Estonia and Lithuania
1994 TV4 becomes largest channel in Sweden
1994 launch of TV6 launched
1994 Kinnevik restructured around Korsnäs Holding AB (packaging and packaging materials), Modern Times Group MTG AB (TV and media), NetCom Systems AB (telecommunications) and Investment AB Kinnevik (other operations)
Metro
1995 MTG incorporated as Kinnevik subsidiary
1995 launch of Metro in Stockholm
1995 MTG gains minority holding acquired in Finanstidningen daily business newspaper
1996 Satellite tv distribution platform switched from Astra to NSAB
1996 RIX FM radio network formed through mergers
1996 ZTV and TV6 merged to form 3+ in Denmark
1996 MTG Publishing AB created as holding company for Metro free newspaper operations outside Nordic countries
1997 Shares in MTG distributed to Kinnevik shareholders and listed on Stockholm Börsinformation and Nasdaq in New York
1997 launch of Metro edition published in Prague
1998 TV3 acquires TV channel in Latvia
1998 acquires three Estonian radio stations (covering Tallinn, Tartu and Pärnu)
1998 commercial radio operations launched in Latvia
1998 MTG buys majority stake in subtitling and dubbing company Media Watchers Group (founded in 1991, operating in Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and Taiwan)
1998 increases stake in Swedish financial daily FinansTidningen
1998 Metro launched in Gothenburg and Budapest
1999 Metro launched in Malmö, Helsinki and the Netherlands
1999 monthly magazine Kapital launched in Sweden
1999 MTG acquires Swedish business channel TV8
1999 acquires 20% stake in Swedish news agency Nyhetsbyrån FLT
1999 Metro International S.A. incorporated in Luxembourg as a holding company for all Metro operations
2000 Annual General Meeting approves distribution of Metro International S.A. share capital to MTG shareholders
Expansion into eastern Europe
2000 Metro editions launched in Chile, Philadelphia, Toronto, Rome, Milan, Poland, Athens
2000 Metro launched in Zurich
2000 Viasat3 begins broadcasting in Hungary
2000 PIN24 launches on Sky TV's platform in UK
2001 TV3 awarded national terrestrial broadcasting license in Latvia
2001 Digital home-shopping channel PIN24 launched in Denmark
2001 MTG acquires 75% of Russian national commercial TV channel
2001 Viasat launches four new digital pay-TV channels in Nordic region
2001 Metro editions launched in Montreal, Barcelona, Boston, Madrid, Copenhagen
2002 MTG acquires 37% of StoryFirst Communications, Inc. and of Lugna Favoriter and WOW 105.5 Swedish radio stations
2002 launch of PIN24 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
2002 launch of Tango TV in Lithuania
2002 closure of Zurich Metro
2002 merger of daily financial paper Finanstidningen and newly acquired weekly Vision as Finans Vision
2002 closure of monthly current affairs magazine Moderna Tider and Kapital business magazine
2002 Metro editions launched in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Hong Kong, Aarhus, Seoul
2003 Metro editions launched in Zaragoza, Seville, La Coruña, Pusan
2003 MTG sells ECL logistics subsidiary to Tradimus AB
2003 launch of Pay-TV-channels TV 1000 and Viasat Explorer in Eastern and Central Europe
2003 closure of Finans Vision
2004 MTG sells SDI Media to private equity group Warburg Pincus for US$60m
2004 MetroXpress (national edition) launched in Denmark
2004 Metro editions launched in Toulouse, Valencia, Alicante, Bordeaux, New York, Lisbon and Lille
2005 Metro sells 49% stake in daily Metro Boston to New York Times for US$16.5m
2005 Metro editions launched in Rennes, Nantes, Strasbourg