MTG Enters Content Deal with Maker Studios

STOCKHOLM: Modern Times Group (MTG) has struck a deal to distribute Maker Studios' content on its ad-funded online video services across Scandinavia, the Baltic States, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Bulgaria.

Maker Studios targets the Millennial demo with a range of online video content. Its network of 55,000 channel partners has garnered over 550 million subscribers, generating more than 8.5 billion monthly views.

Sam Wick, the executive VP of business development and operations and general manager of enterprise at Maker Studios, said: “The Maker platform has a global reach and large international following, with 70 percent of our audience based outside the U.S. We are dedicated to delivering our Millennial-focused content in organic ways for international markets. As an industry leader in global entertainment, MTG is a perfect partner for us as we look to expand our offerings for international viewers online.”

Jakob Mejlhede, MTG's senior VP of acquisitions and programming, commented: “It is all about making relevant content available digitally on multiple platforms so that our audiences can enjoy even more varied entertainment experiences. Maker has some of the strongest online properties around so this is a great addition to our offering.”

Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, MTG's president and CEO, commented: “This deal is the first-of-its-kind for MTG and another example of what we mean by shaping the future of entertainment. This deal follows our acquisition of a stake in Splay, the largest multichannel network in the Nordics, and of NetInfo, which operates the largest video-sharing service for local content in Bulgaria. We now have online catch–up free-TV services in a total of nine countries and our leading subscription video on demand provider, Viaplay, is available in six countries. Our commitment to expanding our digital footprint and offering is clear and securing great content through long-term partnerships is key to this.”