Support The Moscow Times!

Faced With Foreign Media Law, Sweden's MTG Seeks to Quit Russia

Sweden's MTG is seeking a buyer for its stake in Russia's CTC Media.

Swedish broadcasting group MTG is seeking a buyer for its 39 percent stake in Russia's CTC Media, business daily Vedomosti reported Wednesday.

The move comes after President Vladimir Putin signed a law last year that limits foreign ownership of media companies to 20 percent.

Vedomosti, citing two sources close to the companies, said MTG was looking to sell the entire stake and Swiss investment bank UBS had contacted potential buyers.

In December, CTC said it had appointed UBS as financial adviser and professional services company KPMG as tax adviser following the signing of the new law.

"CTC Media is considering all potential structures in this regard, which may include corporate restructuring, franchising and licensing structures, capital reorganization or divestments," MTG spokesman Per Lorentz said.

"MTG is not pursuing any separate process in relation to our holding in CTC Media," he added.

CTC Media declined to comment.

MTG had, according to Vedomosti, tried to find a way to cut its stake to below 20 percent or divide CTC business to comply with the law but met with many legal complications and decided to exit this investment.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more