NENT Group moves licences to Sweden
October 22, 2020
By Colin Mann
In a move likely to be repeated in the coming weeks and months, Nordic region streaming company Nordic Entertainment Group is to move the registrations for its streaming platforms and the broadcast licences for its TV channels to Sweden from the UK, starting January 1st 2021.
The move ensures NENT Group’s services will remain available to viewers after the expected withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU), and means these offerings will be regulated by the Swedish Press and Broadcasting Authority (Myndigheten för press, radio och tv (MPRT)) for the first time in NENT Group’s history.
NENT Group’s new Swedish registrations and licences will cover its Viaplay and Viafree streaming services, V pay-TV channels and TV channels. A selection can be found in the table below. Viaplay is the leading Nordic streaming service, with a unique offering of original productions, international films and series, kids content and live sports, and NENT Group expects to reach 3 million Viaplay subscribers by the end of 2020.
NENT Group’s offerings are currently regulated by Ofcom in the UK under the country of origin principle. This principle, which is part of EU law, allows media companies to offer services across the EU whilst being regulated in one EU jurisdiction. The country of origin principle will no longer apply in the UK at the end of the Brexit transitional period on January 1st 2021.
“We are an innovative, fast-growing, values-driven international company with Nordic DNA and it is natural that we are regulated in a Nordic country,” commented Anders Jensen, NENT Group President & CEO. “We enjoy a good working relationship with the Swedish authorities and this decision reflects our commitment to the Nordic region and its world-class creative sector. This move will ensure the continued availability of our content to viewers across the region and beyond. We now have a stable long-term regulatory foundation from which we will embark on our ambitious and exciting international expansion.”
“We are very pleased to welcome NENT Group to Sweden,” added Charlotte Ingvar-Nilsson, Director-General, MPRT. “NENT Group has a successful track record in attracting Nordic viewers and we are looking forward to working together.”
Viaplay is currently available in five Nordic countries, with the three Baltic states to come from early 2021, and NENT Group aims to add a further 15 countries in the next five years.
Table: Selected NENT Group services to be regulated by MPRT from 1 January 2021
| Category | Service | Country |
| Streaming | Viaplay | SE, NO, DK, FI, IS (Baltic countries from early 2021) |
| Viafree | SE, NO, DK, FI | |
| Pay-TV | V sport premium | SE, FI |
| V sport extra | SE | |
| V sport 1 | SE, NO, FI | |
| V sport 2 | NO | |
| V sport 3 | NO | |
| V sport + | NO | |
| V sport live | DK | |
| V sport football | SE, FI | |
| V sport hockey | SE, FI | |
| V sport motor | SE | |
| V sport urheilu | FI | |
| V sport jääkiekko | FI | |
| V sport jalkapallo | FI | |
| V sport golf | SE, NO, DK, FI | |
| V sport HD | SE, NO, DK | |
| V sport Ultra HD | SE, NO, DK, FI | |
| V film premiere | SE, NO, DK, FI | |
| V film action | SE, NO, DK, FI | |
| V film family | SE, NO, DK, FI | |
| V film hits | SE, NO, DK, FI | |
| V series | SE, NO, DK, FI | |
| TV | TV3 | SE, NO, DK |
| TV3+ | DK | |
| TV3 SPORT | DK | |
| TV3 MAX | DK | |
| TV3 Puls | DK | |
| V4 | NO | |
| TV6 | SE, NO | |
| TV8 | SE | |
| TV10 | SE |
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