What Keskisuomalainen does

Keskisuomalainen Oyj is the listed (Nasdaq Helsinki: KESBS) parent of Finland's leading regional and local media group, headquartered in Jyväskylä. Through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary Keskisuomalainen Media Oy (formed via the 2026 consolidation of Päijänne Media Oy, Etelä-Suomen Media Oy, Mediasepät Oy, Savo-Karjalan Media Oy, and Väli-Suomen Media Oy), the group publishes approximately 100 media outlets spanning subscription newspapers (e.g., Keskisuomalainen, Savon Sanomat, Hämeen Sanomat, Essot), city media (e.g., Helsingin Uutiset, Vantaan Sanomat), and radio stations, and produces the national news service Uutissuomalainen. Adjacent subsidiaries include Meks Ulkomainonta Oy (digital outdoor advertising network accessed via meks.fi) and Kamua Helsinki Oy (lifestyle and B2B magazines such as Avecmedia, Aromi, Shaker, Evento). The group also operates Finland's most significant direct distribution network for printed media and runs a logistics partnership with Posti for distribution services.

The group's underlying technology stack is anchored by a multi-title publishing platform (regional news sites, ksml.fi, regional newspaper digital properties) integrated with digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaign management via Meks and consumer subscription self-service via Oma Media (oma.media.fi). Martech and analytics integrations include Chartbeat, Google Analytics, Google reCAPTCHA, Gravito (consent management), Leadoo (marketing automation), Meta Pixel, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Spotify Pixel, ID5, JustID, SharedID, and FIAM for official Finnish audience measurement. The organization employs nearly 5,000 professionals across editorial, sales, distribution, production, and corporate functions.

Keskisuomalainen operates a dual revenue model. On the consumer side, it generates subscription revenue from print and digital newspaper and magazine subscriptions distributed through its own direct distribution network. On the business side, it monetizes its reach through multi-channel advertising — print newspaper/magazine ads, online campaigns, digital out-of-home via Meks, radio spots, and native advertising — sold via a sales-led GTM targeting regional Finnish businesses and through the Meks self-service portal. Pricing is unit-based per format (e.g., newspaper spread €400, full page €210, DOOH XS package €42, radio production packages €195–€1,360), with 3–15% agency discounts and channel-specific volume discounts (25% on print/digital, 40% on DOOH/radio for social and election advertising). For FY2024, the group reported €212.8M in revenue and €14.7M in operational comparable operating profit (~6.9% margin).

Name

Keskisuomalainen

Legal name

Keskisuomalainen Oyj

Website

https://keskisuomalainen.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Keskisuomalainen Oyj is a Finland-based, Nasdaq Helsinki-listed regional and local media group publishing ~100 newspapers, city publications, and radio stations, and operating the country's largest direct distribution network and a digital out-of-home advertising platform (Meks).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Media and Advertising

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (513120), Media Representatives (541840)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

National & General-Interest Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAA), Community, Ethnic & Multilingual News Publishers (MPAJADAG)

Keywords

• Regional media publishing
• Digital outdoor advertising
• Direct distribution services
• Newspaper subscriptions
• Radio broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Jyväskylä

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Subscription-based revenue from newspaper and digital media subscriptions to consumers
2. Advertising Revenue: Print and digital advertising revenue from businesses targeting regional Finnish audiences. Includes newspaper/magazine ads, online campaigns, outdoor advertising, radio spots, and native advertising
3. Direct Distribution Services: Direct distribution services as Finland's most significant direct distribution operator

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Keskisuomalainen is a Finnish regional and local media group that publishes approximately 100 media titles, including newspapers, city/local media outlets, and radio stations. The group also operates Meks Ulkomainonta, a digital outdoor advertising business, and runs Finland's leading direct distribution network for printed products, serving both consumer subscribers and business advertisers through its subsidiaries Keskisuomalainen Media Oy and Kamua Helsinki Oy.

Product overview

Keskisuomalainen is a diversified Finnish media conglomerate operating as a platform-plus-multiple-brands architecture. The parent company Keskisuomalainen Oyj holds subsidiaries spanning news publishing (Keskisuomalainen Media Oy with regional newspapers, city publications, and radio), outdoor advertising (Meks Ulkomainonta Oy), lifestyle magazines (Kamua Helsinki Oy), and direct distribution services. The portfolio includes approximately 100 media titles spanning subscription newspapers, local city media, radio stations, and digital platforms. The group offers consumers subscription-based news content via Tilattavat mediat, local news via Kaupunkimediat, and radio via Radiot, while serving advertisers through Meks outdoor advertising and Meks advertising portal. Consumer digital access is provided via Oma Media (subscription management) and Meks (advertising services).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Uutissuomalainen: National news service operated by the group
• Meks

Products and services

• Regional and local newspapers (Keskisuomalainen and affiliated titles) Approximately 100 regional and local newspaper titles serving Finnish readership across multiple regions, distributed via subscription and single-copy sales.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kamua Helsinki OycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly-owned subsidiary specializing in lifestyle and B2B media publications including Avecmedia, Aromi, Shaker, and Evento magazines. Operates under the Keskisuomalainen Group umbrella.
• Meks Ulkomainonta OycoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital outdoor advertising platform (meks.fi) providing advertising services for the media group. Handles digital outdoor advertising production and campaign management.
• Finnish Newspaper AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association providing replacement advertisement discounts to member publications for newspaper/magazine advertisements.
• Posti (Finnish Postal Service)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLogistics partner for newspaper and magazine distribution services in Finland.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Amedia: Norwegian regional newspaper group publishing ~80 local titles with significant subscription and distribution operations. Highly comparable as a Nordic regional media group with a similar multi-title subscription and local advertising model.
• Alma Media: Finnish publicly listed media group operating regional and national newspapers (Aamulehti, Iltalehti) plus digital marketplaces. Closest comparable by business model, regional newspaper portfolio, advertising platform, and Finnish listing.

Broad incumbents

• Schibsted: Nordic media group operating subscription newspapers (Aftenposten, VG) and online marketplaces. Comparable as a publicly listed Nordic media house with subscription, advertising, and digital platform revenue streams.
• Sanoma: Finland's largest media group operating Helsingin Sanomat national newspaper plus TV, radio, and digital learning. Comparable as a Finnish listed media conglomerate with newspaper publishing and multi-channel advertising sales.
• Bonnier Publications: Nordic media house publishing magazines, newspapers, and digital media across the Nordics. Comparable for its multi-brand publishing portfolio and subscription/Advertising revenue model.

Others

• IAB Europe: Industry body setting digital advertising standards including the Transparency & Consent Framework to which Keskisuomalainen is a signatory. Relevant as an ecosystem participant for the group's digital advertising compliance posture.
• Posti Group: Finland's national postal and logistics service provider. Relevant as a logistics partner and potential distribution competitor given Keskisuomalainen's direct distribution business.
• JCDecaux: Global leader in out-of-home advertising including digital out-of-home networks. Relevant as a competitor and benchmark for Meks Ulkomainonta's DOOH business model and economics.

Regional players

• Tamedia (TX Group): Swiss media group publishing regional newspapers (Tages-Anzeiger, 20 Minuten) plus digital marketplaces. Comparable for its regional newspaper subscription model and integrated advertising operations in a small-language market.
• Mediahuis: Belgian-headquartered media group operating newspapers and radio across Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, and Luxembourg. Comparable as a multi-country regional newspaper and digital media operator with similar subscription and ad revenue mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ksmlfi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Keskisuomalainen