Sanoma

Sanoma is a Finnish media and education group headquartered in Helsinki. Its roots reach back to the establishment of the newspaper Päivälehti in 1889, the predecessor of Helsingin Sanomat, while the modern corporate group was created in 1999 through the combination of Sanoma Corporation, WSOY and Helsinki Media Company. The group used the name SanomaWSOY for much of the following decade before returning to Sanoma Corporation in October 2008. The company operates through two principal business areas. Sanoma Learning develops and supplies educational materials, digital learning platforms and related services for schools, teachers and students. This business operates across a range of European countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Spain and Germany. Its portfolio has expanded through acquisitions, notably the purchase of Grupo Santillana's education business in Spain in 2020 and the acquisition of Pearson's Italian and German education businesses in 2022. These transactions strengthened Sanoma's position as a pan-European education provider and shifted the group's strategic center of gravity toward learning services and instructional content. Sanoma Media Finland is the group's Finnish media division. It publishes newspapers and magazines, operates television and radio services, produces events, provides printing capabilities and runs digital entertainment and online gaming services. Its assets include Helsingin Sanomat, Finland's largest newspaper, as well as the Nelonen Media portfolio, which includes television channels and radio stations. In 2020, Sanoma also acquired Alma Media's regional news media operations, adding titles such as Aamulehti and Satakunnan Kansa to its Finnish media activities. Sanoma combines legacy editorial brands with subscription, advertising, broadcasting, digital and education revenues. Its Finnish media business remains rooted in journalism and mass-market entertainment, while Sanoma Learning serves institutional and public-sector education markets. Sanoma shares are traded on Nasdaq Helsinki. At the end of 2023, the group reported net sales of approximately EUR 1.393 billion and employed about 5,000 people. These figures describe the consolidated corporation rather than an individual consumer-facing product brand.

Sanoma's history combines the development of Finnish newspaper publishing with the later construction of a multinational education group. The earliest part of the story dates to 1889, when Päivälehti was founded in Finland. The newspaper was later continued as Helsingin Sanomat, which became one of the country's most influential news publications and remains a central asset of Sanoma's Finnish media operations. The modern corporate structure emerged in 1999, when Sanoma Corporation merged with WSOY, the Werner Söderström publishing company, and Helsinki Media Company. The combination created SanomaWSOY, a broader media and publishing group with newspaper, magazine, book, television and other content businesses. The merger reflected the consolidation of traditional media and publishing companies at a time when publishers were expanding across formats and distribution channels. In October 2008, the group changed its name back to Sanoma Corporation. Over time, the company developed two complementary areas of activity. Sanoma Media Finland retained the group's domestic media heritage through newspapers, magazines, television, radio, printing, events and digital services. Sanoma Learning developed into an international education business serving schools, teachers and students with instructional content, curriculum materials, assessment-related products and digital tools. The Finnish media division includes Helsingin Sanomat and the Nelonen Media broadcasting portfolio. Nelonen Media operates television channels and radio services, extending Sanoma beyond print into audiovisual and audio entertainment. The division also includes digital news and subscription products, events, printing and online gaming services. In 2020, Sanoma expanded its regional Finnish journalism presence by acquiring Alma Media's regional news media operations. The transaction brought major regional titles, including Aamulehti and Satakunnan Kansa, into Sanoma's portfolio. Education became an increasingly important part of the group's European strategy. In 2020, Sanoma acquired Grupo Santillana's education business in Spain. In 2022, it acquired Pearson's education businesses in Italy and Germany. These deals increased Sanoma Learning's geographic reach and added established local curricula, editorial capabilities and customer relationships. The education business subsequently operated across twelve European countries, while Sanoma Media Finland remained focused on the Finnish market. Sanoma is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki and is headquartered in Helsinki. At the end of 2023, the group had approximately 5,000 employees and recorded consolidated net sales of about EUR 1.393 billion. Its current identity is therefore broader than that of a conventional Finnish newspaper company: it is a European learning-services provider combined with a major Finnish media house. The group continues to connect legacy content brands with digital subscriptions, broadcasting, education technology and institutional learning services.

1. 2023Sanoma reports its scale as a European learning and media group

   At year-end, Sanoma reports approximately EUR 1.393 billion in net sales and about 5,000 employees.

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2. 2022Pearson education businesses in Italy and Germany are acquired

   Sanoma adds Pearson's Italian and German education operations to its learning portfolio.

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3. 2020Sanoma expands Finnish regional news

   Sanoma acquires Alma Media's regional news media operations, including Aamulehti and Satakunnan Kansa.

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4. 2020Grupo Santillana education business is acquired

   Sanoma acquires Grupo Santillana's education publishing business in Spain.

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5. 2008The group returns to the Sanoma name

   In October, SanomaWSOY changes its name back to Sanoma Corporation.

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6. 1999SanomaWSOY is formed

   Sanoma Corporation, WSOY and Helsinki Media Company merge to create SanomaWSOY, establishing the modern group structure.

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7. 1889Päivälehti is founded

   The Finnish newspaper Päivälehti is established; its publishing tradition later continues through Helsingin Sanomat, one of Sanoma's best-known media brands.

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A Nordic-rooted, European media and learning group combining trusted Finnish journalism and broadcasting with scalable educational publishing and digital learning services.

• Sanoma LearningEducational publishing and learning services

  Sanoma Learning is the group's international education division. It provides curriculum-aligned textbooks, instructional resources, digital learning environments and related services for schools, teachers and students. The business operates in multiple European markets and has grown through acquisitions that add local education publishers and market-specific content. Its model combines established print materials with digital tools and services used in classroom and institutional settings.

• Sanoma Media FinlandFinnish media

  Sanoma Media Finland is the group's domestic media division. Its activities include newspaper and magazine publishing, digital journalism, television, radio, events, printing and online gaming services. The division serves audiences and advertisers through a mixture of subscription, advertising, broadcast and digital products, and includes both national media properties and regional newspaper operations.

• Helsingin SanomatNewspaper and digital news1889

  Helsingin Sanomat is a leading Finnish newspaper whose institutional history traces back to Päivälehti, founded in 1889. It publishes news and analysis in print and digital formats and is a major part of Sanoma's Finnish journalism and subscription business.

• Nelonen MediaTelevision and radio

  Nelonen Media is Sanoma's Finnish audiovisual and audio portfolio. It includes four television channels and several radio channels, giving the group a substantial presence in Finnish broadcasting alongside its newspaper, magazine and digital activities.

• AamulehtiRegional newspaper

  Aamulehti is a major Finnish regional news title that became part of Sanoma through the 2020 acquisition of Alma Media's regional news media operations. It serves readers in the Tampere region and is distributed through print and digital channels.

• Satakunnan KansaRegional newspaper

  Satakunnan Kansa is a Finnish regional newspaper added to Sanoma's portfolio through the 2020 acquisition from Alma Media. It provides regional journalism in print and digital formats.

• 2022Acquisition of Pearson's Italian and German education businessesM&A

  Sanoma continued to prioritize education publishing and learning services as a growth area.

  What changed. Sanoma acquired Pearson's education operations in Italy and Germany.

  Aftermath. The deal broadened Sanoma Learning's country coverage and added further local education content and capabilities.

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• 2020Acquisition of Alma Media's regional news mediaM&A

  Sanoma sought to strengthen its position in Finnish regional journalism and broaden its domestic media portfolio.

  What changed. Sanoma acquired Alma Media's regional news media operations, including Aamulehti and Satakunnan Kansa.

  Aftermath. Sanoma became a larger operator of Finnish regional news brands in addition to its national Helsingin Sanomat business.

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• 2020Acquisition of Grupo Santillana's education businessM&A

  Sanoma was expanding its learning division through the addition of established European education publishers.

  What changed. The group acquired the Spanish education business of Grupo Santillana.

  Aftermath. The transaction expanded Sanoma Learning's presence in Spain and reinforced its pan-European education strategy.

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• 2008Return to the Sanoma corporate nameStrategy

  After operating as SanomaWSOY, the group simplified its corporate identity.

  What changed. The company changed its name back to Sanoma Corporation in October 2008.

  Aftermath. The Sanoma name became the primary group identity for its media and publishing activities.

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• 1999Formation of SanomaWSOY through a three-company mergerM&A

  Sanoma Corporation, WSOY and Helsinki Media Company combined their publishing and media activities to create a larger Finnish content group.

  What changed. The companies merged and operated under the SanomaWSOY name.

  Aftermath. The transaction established the corporate platform from which the present Sanoma group developed.

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• 2023Sanoma reports 2023 net sales of approximately €1.393 billion

  The company overview reported approximately €1.393 billion in net sales and around 5,000 employees at the end of 2023.

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• 2022Sanoma expands education operations through Pearson transactions

  Sanoma acquired Pearson's education businesses in Italy and Germany, broadening its learning portfolio in continental Europe.

  M&A
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• 2022Sanoma acquires Italian and German education businesses from Pearson

  Sanoma Learning enlarged its European education portfolio by acquiring Pearson's education businesses in Italy and Germany.

  M&A
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• 2020Sanoma acquires Alma Media's regional news media businesses

  Sanoma completed the acquisition of Alma Media's regional news media operations in Finland, including major regional newspaper brands such as Aamulehti and Satakunnan Kansa.

  M&A
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• 2020Sanoma acquires Grupo Santillana's education business

  Sanoma acquired the Spanish educational publisher Grupo Santillana, expanding its European learning business and strengthening its position in Spanish-language education markets.

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• 2020Sanoma acquires Alma Media's regional news media operations

  Sanoma completed the acquisition of Alma Media's regional news media business in Finland, adding major regional newspaper brands including Aamulehti and Satakunnan Kansa to Sanoma Media Finland.

  M&A
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• 2020Sanoma acquires Grupo Santillana education publishing operations

  The group expanded its international learning business through the acquisition of the Spanish education publisher Grupo Santillana's education activities.

  M&A
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1. Sanoma
2. Sanoma corporate website