METRO TO LAUNCH ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER IN HELSINKI Tidnings AB Metro is to publish an English language newspaper in Helsinki. The tabloid format newspaper will be called Metro Europe. Publication will start on 1 July 1999 when Finland takes over the presidency of the EU. "Metro Europe will be an exciting newspaper. It is primarily intended for international politicians, diplomats and businessmen and others interested in reading an accurate English language news report in Helsinki. The limited choice of English language news coverage in Helsinki justifies the launch of an English language version of Metro," says Robert Braunerhielm, president of MTG Publishing. Metro Europe will be free of charge and distributed five days a week via hotels, airports, ferry points and other institutions and buildings involved in the presidency of the EU. The editorial content will be produced both in Helsinki and Stockholm. "We are very pleased with Metro´s decision," states Christer Haglund, Head of Press, at the Secretariat for the Finnish Presidency of the EU at Helsinki. "There has long been an obvious need for a daily English language newspaper and the problem was again highlighted by the Finnish presidency of the EU and the Helsinki cultural capital year." On account of the presidency of the EU, Metro and the Secretariat for the Finnish Presidency of the EU have agreed on a form of collaboration for the English language newspaper. "This collaboration with Metro raises our service for foreign guests in Helsinki up to a completely new level now that we can finally bridge the traditionally difficult language barrier. The collaboration also provides us with column space about the presidency of the EU. Metro Europe will thus be a significant channel of information for politicians, diplomats, journalists and others coming to Helsinki on account of the presidency of the EU," adds Christer Haglund. "We intend the newspaper to follow the Finnish presidency of the EU. The presidency of the EU passes to Portugal on 1 January 2000. Nothing is definite but if Metro Europe is well received and commercially viable in Helsinki, the newspaper may have a follow up in Lisbon," says Robert Braunerhielm. Metro started publication in Stockholm in 1995. The first establishment abroad came two years later, in Prague. Budapest and Gothenburg were added last year. Expansion continues with eight towns in the Netherlands, and Helsinki and Malmö this year. Now the Metro newspaper portfolio is further supplemented with this Metro Europe that will follow the presidency of the EU. Metro Europe will be part of the Publishing business area of Modern Times Group MTG AB. MTG Publishing today consists of Metro Stockholm, Metro Göteborg, Finanstidningen and Metro Helsinki. Metro in Prague, Budapest and the Netherlands are part of Metro International, which was formed on 1 January 1999. For further information, please visit www.mtg.se, or email info@mtg.se or contact: Hans-Holger Albrecht, President & CEO tel: +46 8 562 000 50 Matthew Hooper, Investor & Press Relations tel: +44 20 7321 5010 Modern Times Group MTG AB has seven business areas: Viasat Broadcasting (free-to-air and pay TV channels in nine countries), Radio (seven networks in five countries), New Media (the Everyday interactive TV portal, Internet portal, Mobile portal, and teletext services), Publishing (financial news and information services), Modern Interactive (home shopping, e-commerce, and logistics), SDI Media (subtitling and dubbing services), and Modern Studios (content production and library). Modern Times Group MTG AB's class A and B shares are listed on the Stockholmsbörsen O-list (symbols: MTGA and MTGB) and on the Nasdaq National Market in New York (symbol: MTGNY). MODERN TIMES GROUP MTG AB Skeppsbron 18, Box 2094, SE-103 13 Stockholm, Sweden Tel. +46 8 562 000 50 Fax. +46 8 20 50 74 (Publ) Registration No. 556309- 9158 www.mtg.se ------------------------------------------------------------ Denna information skickades av Waymaker http://www.waymaker.se Följande filer finns att ladda ned: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/01/07/20040107BIT00610/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/01/07/20040107BIT00610/wkr0002.pdf