Schibsted

Ole J. Mjøs is Professor in Media Studies at the Department of Information Science and Media Studies, University of Bergen, Norway. He specializes in the fields of international communication and global media. He is the author of An Introduction to Global Media for the Twenty-First Century (2023), Music, Social Media and Global Mobility (2012) and Media Globalization and the Discovery Channel Networks (2010), and is co-author of The Media Welfare State: Nordic Media in the Digital Era (2014). He has been a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Global Communication Studies, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, USA, and visiting researcher at the Centre for Mobilities Research, Lancaster University, UK.

“In his detailed account of the influential Norwegian media company Schibsted, Ole J. Mjøs constructs an overall captivating and convincing narrative of the various twists, turns, trials and tribulations that come with launching, growing, safeguarding, and, ultimately, splitting a large legacy media corporation.Mjøs does a terrific job at mapping out the internal and external complexities that come with attempting to build an international media corporation that aims to become a Nordic, European, and global media corporation.Mjøs goes beyond merely telling the story of Schibsted as it expanded into other nations around the world. His book's strength predominantly lies in the numerous exclusive interviews with current and former top staff members of the company which he carried out and uses appropriately throughout the chapters. This offers a more in-depth and personal approach beyond numbers and takeover bids, and it also provides additional insights in the inner workings of Schibsted as it consistently had to reinvent itself over the past 30 years.”Jonathan Hendrickx, Media International Australia (23 January 2026)"The most important contribution of the book is that it provides insight into a commercial media development that has received little attention. … The study provides valuable insight into how major corporate decisions are made and how leaders confront the pressures of global capital.The language of the book is exemplary—simple and well written for an academic work."Jens Barland, Norwegian Journal of Media Studies (13 October 2025)"(T)his book is well-suited for students, media scholars, and practitioners alike who want to learn more about long-term developments in the Nordic media landscape. As such, this book by Mjøs will be an important contribution to the field in the years to come.""The book is an important addition to research on media companies in the Nordics for several reasons: First, it provides … a compelling (update on Schibsted) for an international audience interested in the region. Second, Mjøs provides an interesting conceptual framework for analyzing how different factors shape and influence corporate strategy-making and its implementation. Third, he creates an engaging read by appropriately providing quotes from the interviews throughout the chapters, offering in-depth insights.Maximilian Eder, The Journal of Media Management (13 April, 2026)

• List of Interviewees1. Introduction 2. The formation of the modern Schibsted and pioneering the digital and international expansion: 1989-2000 3. The emergence of the digital and international Schibsted: 2000-20094. Streamlining, new digital business models, and global ambitions 2009-20145. In the face of global platformization: The ecosystem strategy: 2014-2017 6. The world’s largest online classified company, the Schibsted Universe, and the splitting of the company: 2017-20257. Concluding remarks – The Regional PerspectiveReferences Index