The divestment of Alma Media’s newspaper business in Kainuu has been finalised

Alma Media Corporation                        Press release           4 March 2015, 12:00 a.m. EET

THE DIVESTMENT OF ALMA MEDIA'S NEWSPAPER BUSINESS IN KAINUU HAS BEEN FINALISED

As reported at the beginning of February 2015, Alma Media’s newspaper business in Kainuu has been transferred to a new owner, SLP Kustannus Oy. In the divestment realised today, the regional newspaper Kainuun Sanomat, the town paper Koti-Kajaani and three subscribable local papers were transferred to the subsidiary of Suomalainen Lehtipaino Oy. The transaction does not affect Alma Media’s first-quarter 2015 result. The parties have agreed not to publish the price of the acquisition.

With the acquisition, the daily newspaper Kainuun Sanomat as well as the twice-weekly newspapers Koti-Kajaani, Ylä-Kainuu, Kuhmolainen and Sotkamo were transferred to a new owner. The papers’ total turnover in 2014 was approximately MEUR 11.5. The newspapers’ employees will be transferred to the new owner as so-called old employees. The newspapers have 74 employees.

Suomalainen Lehtipaino Oy, based in Kajaani, is a printing house specialising in newspapers. In addition, the company’s business includes early morning delivery of newspapers in the Kainuu region. The company and its owners currently have small town papers and local papers in Northern Finland.

Alma Media Kustannus Oy publishes Alma Media Group’s regional, local and town papers. Its best-known brands are Aamulehti, Satakunnan Kansa, Lapin Kansa and Pohjolan Sanomat.

For more information, please contact:

Kari Juutilainen, Managing Director, Alma Media Kustannus Oy, +358 50 435 4159
Tenna Talvi-Pietarila, Managing Director, Suomalainen Lehtipaino Oy, +358 44 779 5220

Alma Media in brief

Alma Media is a media company focusing on digital services and publishing. In addition to news services, the company’s products provide useful information related to lifestyle, career and business development. The services of Alma Media have expanded from Finland to the Nordic countries, the Baltics and Central Europe. In 2014, the company employed an average of 1,830 professionals (excluding deliverers), of whom approximately one quarter worked outside Finland. Alma Media’s revenue in 2014 totalled approximately EUR 295 million. Alma Media’s share is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. Read more at www.almamedia.com.