Modern Times Group (MTG) is launching a new group-wide initiative designed to to accelerate the pace of its digital innovation and expansion. MTGx will be headed by recent recruit, MTG executive vice president and chief digital officer Rikard Steiber.
“We want to create personal and social user experiences that connect people to the entertainment they love the most from their favourite movies, sports, series, music, and games, and I look forward to building MTGx as an integrated part of MTG’s digital activities going forward,” said Steiber.
The new division will effectively split into four; xPlay will focus on the groups advertising-funded online catch-up services as well as the online pay-TV service Viaplay; xVentures will build and invest in a portfolio of new entertainment services. Initial focus will be on Sweden and the United States; xCreations will be a digital production hub for the creation of original content for web and mobile platforms as well as extending the life cycle of traditional linear TV content and xLabs will be the R&D focus area of MTGx.
MTG continues to expand its digital services across free and pay. Viaplay contines to show significant growth, while the second screen service Like.tv was launched in Sweden in 2012, and was expanded to Norway and Demark in 2013.