WSOY's Annual General Meeting today approved the parent company's and the consolidated financial statements for 1998 and the Board's proposal for distribution of profits. The dividend distribution is FIM 10.25 per share.

WSOY's Annual General Meeting today approved the parent company's and the consolidated financial statements for 1998 and the Board's proposal for distribution of profits. The dividend distribution is FIM 10.25 per share.

The Annual General Meeting of Werner Söderström Corporation - WSOY held today 16 April 1999 in Helsinki adopted the parent company's financial statements and the consolidated financial statements as well as the proposal of the Board of Directors for distribution of profits. It was decided to distribute a dividend of FIM 10.25 per share, i.e. a total dividend of FIM 123 million. It was further decided to donate FIM 150,000 to Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiön kirjallisuussäätiö (literature foundation).

The dividend will be paid to the shareholders on 28 April 1999.

The Annual General Meeting granted release from liability to the members of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board as well as to the Managing Director for the financial year 1998.

Werner Söderström Corporation - WSOY, Sanoma Corporation, Helsinki Media Company Oy, and Oy Devarda Ab, which is a shareholder in the two last-mentioned companies, will merge in a combination merger on 1 May 1999 to form Sanoma-WSOY Oyj.

The resigning members of the Supervisory Board, Mr. Jorma Hämäläinen, Ms. Leena Kartio and Mr. Jaakko Rauramo were re-elected for the term which will expire upon the completion of the duties of the Supervisory Board which relate to the merger.

Mr. Tauno Haataja, CPA, and Mr. Björn Renlund, CPA, were appointed auditors, and SVH Pricewaterhouse Coopers Oy, Corporation of Chartered Public Accountants, and Mr. Markku Marjomaa, CPA, were appointed deputy auditors.

WERNER SÖDERSTRÖM CORPORATION - WSOY


Antero Siljola
President and CEO

Tel. +358 9 6168 200 or +358 40 5808 280

Distribution: HEX Helsinki Stock Exchange; principal media