Berlingske Media

Berlingske Media is a Danish media company headquartered in Copenhagen and built around newspapers, digital publishing and radio. Its corporate history is closely connected with Berlingske, one of Denmark's oldest continuously published newspapers. The title began publication on 3 January 1749, when Ernst Henrich Berling issued Kjøbenhavnske Danske Post-Tidender. The newspaper later became Berlingske Tidende and is now generally branded as Berlingske. The group combines national newspapers with digital news services and other media properties. Its best-known brands have included Berlingske, the popular daily B.T., the weekly cultural and political newspaper Weekendavisen, and the radio station Radio24syv. The portfolio has also included B.T.metro, operated through a joint ownership structure involving Berlingske and Tamedia, and Radio24syv, which was described as being jointly owned by Berlingske Media and People Group. These assets gave the company reach across paid newspapers, free or mass-market news, opinion and analysis, online publishing, and radio broadcasting. For much of its history, the principal newspaper operation remained associated with the Berling family. That ownership ended in the early 1980s after the company encountered financial difficulties. Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller provided investment support in 1982, helping preserve the business, and later sold his shares in 1999. The company subsequently passed through a series of larger corporate owners. The Norwegian conglomerate Orkla acquired a controlling interest in the publishing group in 2000 and owned it until 2006. Orkla's sale of its international publishing and media activities transferred the company to the British Mecom Group. The Mecom acquisition marked a further corporate transition and was followed by a change of name from Det Berlingske Officin to Berlingske Media. The new name reflected the expanding importance of websites and digital media alongside the historic newspaper business. In June 2014, Mecom sold the company to the Belgian media group De Persgroep, which was subsequently known as DPG Media. Under DPG Media, Berlingske Media was organized around four principal brands: Berlingske, B.T., Weekendavisen and Radio24syv. In February 2025, Berlingske was sold by DPG Media to the Norwegian media group Amedia. This transaction placed the historic Danish newspaper operation under a new Nordic media owner. The group has been run by Anders Krab-Johansen, who previously served as chief executive and editor-in-chief of the Danish business daily Børsen. Berlingske Media's identity therefore combines a long-established editorial tradition with repeated ownership changes and an ongoing shift toward multi-platform news distribution.

Berlingske Media traces its origins to 3 January 1749, when Ernst Henrich Berling published the first issue of Kjøbenhavnske Danske Post-Tidender. The publication later developed into Berlingske Tidende, now known simply as Berlingske. The newspaper's age and continuity form the central historical basis of the media group's identity and make it one of the oldest newspaper institutions associated with Denmark. The publishing business remained in the Berling family's hands until 1982. By that point, it was experiencing serious economic difficulties. Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller invested in the company that year, providing support that helped it continue operating. He retained an ownership position until selling his shares in 1999. The business then entered a period of ownership by larger media and industrial groups rather than remaining family controlled. From 2000 to 2006, the group was owned by Orkla, a Norwegian conglomerate. Orkla acquired 76 percent of the stock of the publishing group then known as Det Berlingske Officin. The transaction was part of Orkla's expansion in publishing and media. In 2006, Orkla sold its multinational publishing and media activities to the British company Mecom Group. Following the acquisition, the company changed its name from Det Berlingske Officin to Berlingske Media. The renaming signaled that the company was no longer defined only by its traditional newspaper operation and increasingly included websites and other digital channels. In June 2014, Mecom sold Berlingske Media to the Belgian media house De Persgroep. De Persgroep later adopted the name DPG Media. During this ownership period, the group's principal portfolio was described as four main brands: Berlingske, B.T., Weekendavisen and Radio24syv. The portfolio represented different editorial and audience positions, from the historic general-interest newspaper Berlingske to the mass-market B.T., the weekly Weekendavisen and the radio service Radio24syv. Other holdings associated with the group included B.T.metro, with a minority share held by Tamedia, and a Radio24syv ownership arrangement involving People Group. The company's development reflects the broader transformation of newspaper businesses. Its historic flagship retained a print identity while the corporate group expanded into web publishing and other channels. The change to the Berlingske Media name was explicitly associated with this digital orientation. At the same time, the group's ownership moved repeatedly across national borders, first through Orkla, then Mecom, then De Persgroep or DPG Media. In February 2025, Berlingske was sold to Amedia, a Norwegian media group. The transaction introduced another Nordic owner to the business and marked the latest major change in its corporate history. Anders Krab-Johansen has been identified as the company's chief executive and editor-in-chief; before leading Berlingske Media, he had been chief executive and editor-in-chief at the Danish business newspaper Børsen. The group remains an active Danish media organization whose heritage reaches back to the eighteenth century while its operating model spans newspapers, websites and radio.

1. 2025Amedia becomes owner

   Berlingske was sold to Norwegian media group Amedia in February.

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2. 2014De Persgroep acquires Berlingske Media

   Mecom sold the company to Belgian media group De Persgroep, later renamed DPG Media.

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3. 2006Mecom acquires the group and the name changes

   Orkla sold its international publishing and media activities, including Det Berlingske Officin, to Mecom. The company was renamed Berlingske Media.

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4. 2000Orkla becomes controlling owner

   Orkla acquired 76 percent of the stock of the publishing group then known as Det Berlingske Officin.

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5. 1999Mærsk sells his shares

   Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller sold his ownership interest in the company.

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6. 1982Mærsk investment supports the company

   After the company encountered economic difficulties, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller invested in the business.

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7. 1749First Berling newspaper issue published

   Ernst Henrich Berling published the first issue of Kjøbenhavnske Danske Post-Tidender on 3 January, establishing the newspaper lineage that later became Berlingske.

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A Danish multi-platform news publisher centered on established national newspaper brands, digital journalism and selected radio activities.

• BerlingskeDaily newspaper and digital news1749

  Berlingske is the group's historic flagship newspaper. It descends from the publication first issued by Ernst Henrich Berling in 1749 and has operated as a major Danish general-interest news title in both print and digital forms.

• B.T.Daily newspaper and digital news

  B.T. is a principal Berlingske Media brand and a mass-market Danish news title. It forms part of the group's core portfolio alongside Berlingske, Weekendavisen and Radio24syv.

• WeekendavisenWeekly newspaper

  Weekendavisen is the group's weekly newspaper brand. It occupies a distinct place in the portfolio from the daily Berlingske and B.T. titles and is associated with longer-form editorial, cultural and political coverage.

• Radio24syvRadio broadcasting

  Radio24syv was the group's radio operation and one of its four principal brands. The station was described as having a 70 percent Berlingske Media interest and a 30 percent interest held by People Group.

• B.T.metroFree newspaper

  B.T.metro was a newspaper property associated with the group. Its ownership was described as 70 percent Berlingske Media and 30 percent Tamedia.

• 2025Sale of Berlingske to AmediaM&A

  After a period under DPG Media ownership, the Danish newspaper operation entered another Nordic ownership transition.

  What changed. Berlingske was sold to Norwegian media group Amedia in February 2025.

  Aftermath. Amedia became the group's owner and the latest international media company to control the historic Danish publishing operation.

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• 2014Sale to De PersgroepM&A

  Mecom sold its Berlingske Media holding as part of a broader ownership transition in the European media sector.

  What changed. De Persgroep acquired Berlingske Media in June 2014.

  Aftermath. The company became part of the Belgian media group later known as DPG Media.

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• 2006Rename Det Berlingske Officin as Berlingske MediaStrategy

  After Mecom acquired the company from Orkla, the traditional publishing-group name no longer fully represented its expanding web and media activities.

  What changed. The company adopted the name Berlingske Media to emphasize its broader media and website focus.

  Aftermath. The new name became the corporate identity for a portfolio containing newspapers, websites and radio properties.

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• 2025Berlingske sold to Amedia

  In February 2025, Berlingske was sold to the Norwegian media group Amedia, ending DPG Media's ownership of the Danish media operation.

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• 2014Mecom sells Berlingske Media to De Persgroep

  In June 2014, the British media group Mecom sold Berlingske Media to the Belgian media company De Persgroep, later known as DPG Media.

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1. Berlingske Media