Eight Finnish free sheet publishers have decided to establish a joint company to sell advertising space and to submit the advertising material to their free sheets. The new company is responsible for media sales of 24 free sheets from the founding partners: Sanoma Kaupunkilehdet Oy, TS-Yhtymä Oy, Esan Kirjapaino Oy, Keskisuomalainen Oyj, Alma Media Oyj, Ilkka-Yhtymä Oyj, Pohjois-Karjalan Kirjapaino Oyj and Kaleva Kustannus Oy.
The aim of the joint company is to increase advertising in free sheets and to improve the efficiency of their media sales. Free sheets of all bigger cities in Finland are included in the portfolio, so advertisers now have a cost efficient way of buying advertising space either nationally or regionally.
"This new joint operation gives advertisers solutions that are clearer, offer more quality and better reach. In addition, it is easier to buy the media space and get the actual advertisement delivered to the production. Advertisers now have more options for nation-wide campaigns," explains Niko Ruokosuo, President of Sanoma Kaupunkilehdet Oy.
"The joining of forces enables also the continuous development of the participating free sheets as well as adding more local flavour to them. All participating sheets are in tabloid format, which makes the joint concept possible and offers costs savings to us publishers," says Heikki Painilainen, President of Turun Aamuset free sheet.
The Sanoma Kaupunkilehdet business unit for free sheets is part of Sanoma, the newspaper division of the SanomaWSOY Group.