1889

The story of Sanoma begins in 1889 with the establishment of the newspaper Päivälehti in Finland.

1904

Sanoma corporation registered as publishing company for Päivälehti. Päivälehti discontinued, Helsingin Sanomat newspaper established.

1930

Sanoma acquires Viikkosanomat, the first weekly magazine.

1932

Tabloid newspaper Ilta-Sanomat was established.

1950

Sanoma expands to comics and womens’ magazines. Aku Ankka (Donald Duck) becomes part of our portfolio.

1951

Picture agency Lehtikuva is established.

1954

Helsingin Sanomat becomes the biggest newspaper in Finland.

1977

Sanoma invests in printing capabilities.

1981

Sanoma acquires Helsinki Televisio Oy, the first television company in its portfolio.

1993

Separate companies were established for newspapers, magazines and digital communications.

1997

Nelonen receives permission to start nationwide television operations in Finland.

1999

Sanoma Corporation merges with book publisher Werner Söderström. SanomaWSOY is established.

2001

Sanoma acquires the magazine portfolio from Dutch media company VNU.

2003

Rautakirja (kiosk operations, bookstores and movie theatres) merged into Sanoma.

2004

Sanoma expands its learning business in Europe by acquiring Malmberg in the Netherlands and Van In in Belgium. Sanoma acquires the majority of shares (55.1%) of the Polish digital education solutions provider Young Digital Planet.

2005

Magazine publisher Independent Media is acquired in Russia.

2006

More than 50 % of net sales come from outside of Finland. Sanoma is now an international company.

2008

SanomaWSOY is renamed to Sanoma. Acquisition of the Polish educational publisher Nowa Era.

2010

Focus on core operations: movie theatres, photography services, cable tv operations divested. All remaining shares of the Polish company Young Digital Planet are acquired.

2011

Sanoma acquires the SBS television operations in the Netherlands and in Belgium. Netherlands becomes Sanoma’s biggest market. Tammi Oppimateriaalit was acquired and merged with the Finnish educational publisher Sanoma Pro. The Swedish educational publisher Bonnier Utbildning was acquired and renamed Sanoma Utbildning.

2012

Increased focus on consumer media and learning: kiosk operations divested.

2014

Sanoma’s Finnish media operations merge into one company, Sanoma Media Finland.

2015

Sanoma´s withdrawal from Eastern European market concludes. Sanoma Media Russia and CEE ceases to exist.

2017

Sanoma divests it´s Dutch TV business SBS.

2018

Sanoma strengthens its position in festival and event business in Finland. Sanoma completed the divestment of Belgian women’s magazine portfolio.