TV4 Group and Ericsson in ten-year strategic partnership

Photo: Daniel Ohlsson/TV4

The TV4 Group and Ericsson have entered into a strategic partnership for the joint prioritisation and development of future TV and multimedia solutions. Under the ten-year partnership and technology development agreement, Ericsson will be taking over responsibility for TV4 Group transmission operations. The 40 people at TV4 working in the departments concerned will be offered employment with Ericsson.

Under the partnership, the TV4 Group and Ericsson will also establish a new technology and business development forum, which will form the basis for future joint development projects. This will enable these two Swedish companies to establish a very strong position in the TV and multimedia field, focusing on the Swedish, Nordic and international markets.

The partnership between the TV Group and Ericsson is a long-term one and important to both companies. The TV4 Group's know-how in the field of TV content and digital media, its experience of TV consumption and close relationship with viewers and customers alike, coupled with Ericsson's technical know-how, global presence and expansive investment in the service and multimedia sectors, will enable the companies to develop new technical solutions and take up a position at the forefront of the TV and multimedia business of the future.

"These media are undergoing constant changes, both in consumption patterns and technology. These changes impact business models. The agreement will assure our transmission operations and technological development for a long time to come, while freeing resources for our programme and service content, and for business development. In addition, the partnership with Ericsson, which is a technology market leader, will enable us to help drive and develop the TV solutions of the future," says Jan Scherman, CEO of the TV4 Group.

Ericsson's Mikael Bäckström, Head of Market Unit Nordics and Baltics, says "This is a strategic step for us as we see telecoms, media and Internet converge. Beside the advantages of outsourcing for TV4, we see this as a way of gaining know-how from TV4's leading industry competence."

Ericsson has been responsible for transmission of C More Entertainment's Nordic Canal+ channels since 2007. Canal+ was acquired by the TV4 Group in 2008. Under the new agreement, Ericsson will take over all TV4 Group transmission operations.