Finnish publishing house Sanoma is selling its strategic Dutch activities, including news website Nu.nl and Donald Duck magazine, to DPG Media for €460m

DPG Media is a Belgian publishing group which already owns four of the six big Dutch daily papers – the Volkskrant, Trouw, the Parool and the AD. ‘This is an important move to strengthen our operations in an increasingly digital world,’ said Erik Roddenhof, CEO of DPG Media in a press statement.

Google and Facebook are the dominant platforms in the digital advertising market and it is difficult for local media to stand up to them, he said. ‘But we believe that there is space for a local alternative that consists of Dutch brands with a large combined reach.’

Hoofddorp-based Sanoma Media Netherlands booked sales of €424m last year and has a workforce of 894. DPG Media booked sales of €746m in 2018 and has a workforce of nearly 2,800.

Last year, Sanoma sold its comparative shopping website Kieskeurig as well as its stake in the Dutch SBS television broadcasters. Earlier Sanoma sold such Dutch titles as Playboy, Nieuwe Revu and Panorama.

The deal is still subject to the approval of the Dutch competition authorities.