Vísir.is
Vísir.is is one of Iceland's leading digital news and entertainment platforms, operating a multi-format media ecosystem spanning web, TV streaming, radio, and podcasts under the Sýn media group to serve Icelandic audiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersReykjavík, Iceland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Vísir.is does
Vísir.is is one of Iceland's leading digital news and entertainment platforms, founded in 1998 and headquartered in Reykjavík. It is operated as part of the Sýn media group and the broader 365 miðlar media network, which also includes Stöð 2, Bylgjan, X977, and 365. The platform delivers comprehensive Icelandic-language coverage across domestic and international news, business, sports, and lifestyle categories, targeting the general Icelandic public. Sub-brands such as Innherji serve dedicated business and financial news audiences.
The product surface spans an integrated multi-media ecosystem: a flagship news website (visir.is), a TV streaming service (Sjónvarp, anchored by the Stöð 2 Vísir television brand), a radio broadcasting portfolio comprising five stations (Bylgjan, FM957, X977, GullBylgjan, and LettBylgjan), and a dedicated podcast hosting and distribution platform (Tal). Distribution channels include owned web properties, social media (Facebook, Instagram, X), email newsletters, and RSS feeds. No mobile applications are publicly listed, and there is no disclosed developer API.
The business model is a hybrid of advertising and subscription: free, ad-supported access to most content on visir.is is paired with the Sýn+ subscription-based premium offering, while traditional TV and radio broadcasting operations contribute additional advertising and distribution revenue. Revenue figures, pricing tiers, and headcount are not publicly disclosed. The company operates exclusively in Iceland, with no international footprint claimed.
Vísir.is firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vísir.is
- Legal name
- Vísir.is
- Website
- https://visir.is
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Vísir.is is one of Iceland's leading digital news and entertainment platforms, operating a multi-format media ecosystem spanning web, TV streaming, radio, and podcasts under the Sýn media group to serve Icelandic audiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vísir.is industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital News Media
- NAICS
- Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- SVOD Streaming Channels (Subscription OTT) (MPABAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Hybrid Streaming Services (Mixed FAST/AVOD/SVOD) (MPABAHAF)
Keywords
Where Vísir.is is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reykjavík
- HQ country
- Iceland
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Vísir.is business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Vísir.is product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vísir.is is an Icelandic digital news portal that publishes domestic, international, business, sports, and lifestyle content through its website. It extends beyond the website to deliver integrated TV streaming (Sjónvarp), live radio broadcasting across multiple branded stations (Útvarp), and a podcast platform (Tal), making it a multi-format media ecosystem serving Icelandic audiences.
Product overview
Vísir.is is a multi-platform Icelandic media company offering a unified news and entertainment ecosystem across digital, television, and radio channels. The core digital platform visir.is provides comprehensive news coverage across domestic, international, business, and lifestyle categories. The product portfolio includes television streaming (Sjónvarp), radio broadcasting across multiple stations (Bylgjan, GullBylgjan, X977, FM957, LettBylgjan), and a podcast platform (Tal). All channels operate under the Sýn media group umbrella, with Stöð 2 Vísir serving as the flagship television brand.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Innherji: Business and financial news section focused on Icelandic business reporting
- Tal
Products and services
- Vísir.is news portal Icelandic online news portal providing comprehensive coverage across domestic (Innlent), international (Erlent), business (Viðskipti), sports (Sport), and lifestyle (Lífið) categories for Icelandic readers.
- Sjónvarp (TV streaming) Television streaming service offering on-demand and live video content including news broadcasts, sports coverage, entertainment programming, and original productions for Icelandic audiences.
- Útvarp (Radio broadcasting) Radio broadcasting service delivering live streams across multiple Icelandic stations including Bylgjan, FM957, X977, GullBylgjan, and LettBylgjan, covering news, music, and talk formats.
- Bylgjan radio station Icelandic radio station operated under the Vísir/Sýn umbrella featuring news and entertainment programming.
- FM957 radio station Icelandic radio station under the Vísir/Sýn media group offering news and entertainment programming.
- X977 radio station Icelandic radio station in the Vísir/Sýn network providing music and entertainment content.
- GullBylgjan radio station Premium Icelandic radio station in the Vísir/Sýn portfolio featuring classic hits and entertainment.
- LettBylgjan radio station Icelandic radio station in the Vísir/Sýn network featuring contemporary music content.
- Tal (Hlaðvarp podcast platform) Podcast hosting and distribution platform (tal.visir.is) serving as a home for Icelandic podcasts and audio content from the Vísir/Sýn media group.
- Innherji business news Business and financial news sub-brand of Vísir.is covering Icelandic markets, economy, and corporate reporting.
- Stöð 2 Vísir television brand Television brand within the Sýn/Vísir media group offering news and entertainment programming.
Companies that use Vísir.is
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles3 records
Vísir.is technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Vísir.is partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SýncoreSýn is the parent media company of Vísir.is. Vísir operates as part of the Sýn media group, sharing editorial standards and distribution infrastructure. The partnership includes co-production of content and shared platform development.
- Bylgjan (Íslenska Bylgjan)coreRadio station operated under the Vísir/Sýn umbrella. Bylgjan is one of Iceland's popular radio stations providing music and entertainment content.
- FM957coreRadio station under the Vísir/Sýn media group offering news and entertainment programming.
- X977minorRadio station in the Vísir/Sýn network providing music and entertainment content.
- GullBylgjanminorPremium radio station in the Vísir/Sýn portfolio featuring classic hits and entertainment.
- LettBylgjanminorRadio station in the Vísir/Sýn network featuring contemporary music content.
- 365 miðlar (365 Media)minorVísir.is is part of the 365 media network, which includes other Icelandic media outlets like Stöð 2, Bylgjan, and X977.
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vísir.is competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SVT (Sveriges Television): Swedish national public broadcaster operating a multi-platform news, TV, and radio service — a regional Nordic comparable.
- DR (Danmarks Radio): Danish public broadcaster with national TV, radio, and online news operations serving a small Nordic market, mirroring Vísir's scaled-multichannel model.
- NRK: Norwegian public broadcaster running TV, radio, and a major digital news platform — a regional Nordic peer of comparable multi-format media model.
- BuzzFeed: Digital-first news and entertainment publisher built on ad-supported and social distribution — comparable business model and audience engagement mechanics.
- HuffPost: Large-scale digital news and entertainment site offering cross-category content across web and social — comparable digital-news product format, though global in reach.
- RÚV (Ríkisútvarpið): Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, operating TV, radio, and a digital news platform — a direct multi-format competitor with both public-service funding and advertising.
Direct peers
- Morgunblaðið: Iceland's largest daily newspaper and news website, the principal local-language news competitor to Vísir.is across digital, business, sports, and lifestyle coverage.
- Stöð 2: Sibling Icelandic commercial TV brand under the 365 miðlar / Sýn group; directly comparable commercial broadcaster with overlapping news, sports, and entertainment programming.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Vísir.is social profiles
Digital presenceVísir.is financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vísir.is leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Vísir.is funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vísir.is M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vísir.is
What does Vísir.is do?
Vísir.is is an Icelandic digital news portal that publishes domestic, international, business, sports, and lifestyle content through its website. It extends beyond the website to deliver integrated TV streaming (Sjónvarp), live radio broadcasting across multiple branded stations (Útvarp), and a podcast platform (Tal), making it a multi-format media ecosystem serving Icelandic audiences.
Is Vísir.is a public or private company?
Vísir.is is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Vísir.is founded?
Vísir.is was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Vísir.is based?
Vísir.is is headquartered in Reykjavík, Iceland, in the Europe region.
Who are Vísir.is's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SVT (Sveriges Television), DR (Danmarks Radio), NRK, BuzzFeed, HuffPost and RÚV (Ríkisútvarpið). Direct peers are Morgunblaðið and Stöð 2.
Does Vísir.is have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vísir.is.
What industry is Vísir.is in?
Vísir.is's product category is Digital News Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABAHAB, SVOD Streaming Channels (Subscription OTT), with a secondary code of MPABAHAF, Hybrid Streaming Services (Mixed FAST/AVOD/SVOD). Its NAICS code is 516 and its SIC code is 7990.