Metro in Gothenburg a success in its first week
METRO IN GOTHENBURG A SUCCESS IN ITS FIRST WEEK The Gothenburg edition of the Metro newspaper has proved a success with readers after only one week, following its launch on 16 February. According to a survey carried out by SIFO (the Swedish Institute of Public Opinion Research) Metro in Gothenburg has 144 000 readers, and a penetration level of 30 percent, which makes Metro Gothenburg´s second biggest paper. Similarly, in the country as a whole Metro is the second largest morning paper, with a total of 740 000 readers. Sifo´s penetration survey is based on interviews carried out with 260 people in the Greater Gothenburg area aged over fifteen. The survey was conducted on 17-21 February, and commissioned by Metro. To the question "Did you read or look at Metro/Göteborgsposten (GP)/Göteborgstidningen (GT) yesterday?" 30 percent answered Metro, 78 percent GP and 16 percent GT. "This shows that the Metro concept is not just about efficient distribution, but also about good journalism", says Metro´s Editor-in- Chief Sakari Pitkänen. From Monday to Friday Metro is distributed on all buses, trams and boats operated by Gothenburg Local Transport, which carries approximately 120 000 passengers daily. Sifo´s survey shows that Metro is both widely distributed and widely read. "At last the people of Gothenburg have an alternative morning paper!" says Peter Ahlberg, who is the Local Manager of Metro Gothenburg. The results of Sifo´s inquiry are confirmed by the market research company Trendit Research Sweden AB. According to them, 42 per cent of people in Gothenburg say that they read Metro during its first week. 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/01/07/20040107BIT00150/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/01/07/20040107BIT00150/wkr0002.pdf