Hanza Media

Hanza Media
Private
Founded 1990
Founder Ninoslav Pavić
Headquarters Zagreb, Croatia
Key people
 Marko Smetiško (Chairman of the Board)
Owner Marijan Hanžeković
Number of employees
 1700 (2008) [1]
Subsidiaries Slobodna Dalmacija d.d.
Website HanzaMedia.hr

Hanza Media (till July 1, 2016: Europapress Holding, or EPH) is the leading media company in Croatia and Southeast Europe, with 5 daily newspapers and more than 30 magazines. According to Media Market Monitor, it is the largest and fastest growing private media company in Southeast Europe.[2]

Hanza Media's consumer magazines are aimed at the public and range from general-interest titles such as Cosmopolitan and Playboy, which appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, to highly specialist titles covering particular hobbies, leisure pursuits or other interest. EPH's book publishing division sold more than 20 million books in the last few years. Hanza Media also has strong national and international operations and is involved in printed media distribution, media production and tourism.[2]

EPH did not timely nor successfully adapt to market and financial crisis that hit the newspaper industry after 2008, primarily dramatically reducing resources from advertising and marketing.

Faced with the impossibility of regular loan repayment, the ownership ( Ninoslav Pavić and WAZ-Mediengruppe with 50 percent each) reached in February 2014 a pre-failure settlement with creditors.[3] So 90 percent of the share passed into the hands of the Hypo Group, which soon sold its share to the local attorney Marijan Hanžeković.[4][5]

History

Hanza Media building in Zagreb

Founding

Founded in 1990 by Ninoslav Pavić and his partners, Europapress Holding's first publication was the weekly news magazine Globus.

First published in December 1990, Globus was originally devised as a tabloid. Low circulation and financial losses marked its first year in print. However, with the start of the Croatian War of Independence, Globus instantly shifted its focus and started publishing revealing stories from the front lines. It was the first publication to report war crimes committed by Serbian forces against Croats in Croatia.

Later on, in mid and late 1990s, Globus started writing about the shady aspects of privatization in Croatia, organized crime and all other topics avoided by the government-controlled media. As such, Globus is credited for introducing investigative and independent journalism in Croatia. Ever since its founding, Globus remained the most influential political magazine in Croatia.

EPH launches Playboy

In 1996, Playboy Enterprises and Europapress Holding announced a partnership to launch a new edition of Playboy magazine in Croatia. Playboy Croatia officially launched with its February/March 1997 issue.[6] EPH sold its rights on Playboy, Cosmopolitan and Grazia in 2010.[7][8]

Starting a new daily newspaper

In 1998, Europapress Holding decided to start Jutarnji list (trans. "morning paper"), a modern daily newspaper with progressive social views. It was launched in April 1998, being the first successful daily newspaper to appear after Croatian independence. It was named after a Zagreb daily that used to circulate before WW2. It quickly took the lion's share of Croatian media market and became one of the most read newspapers in country. Today, its circulation is about 115,000.[9]

Acquisition of Sportske Novosti

In 1999, Europapress holding bought Sportske novosti, the only sports daily in Croatia and one of the leading sports newspapers in Europe. On 30 December 2005 Zvonimir Boban was appointed CEO of Sportske novosti. [10] Boban resigned from his position in December 2008 due to his long-standing dissatisfaction with the editorial board. [11]

Bomb attack on Pavić

On 1 March 2003, a bomb exploded under the car of Nino Pavić, the owner of Croatia’s biggest private publishing company Europapress Holding. Pavić was not in the car when the bomb exploded. No one was hurt, but the police investigation failed to trace the attacker or attackers.[12] The attack received worldwide condemnation from other publishers and human rights organizations. The President of World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum, which represents 18,000 publications in 100 countries, wrote a letter to the Croatian government to express serious concern at the attempted murder of press magnate Pavic.[13] The leading human rights and democracy monitoring organization OSCE claimed that the "car bombing targeting Croatian media mogul Pavic was an 'act of terror'".[14]

Acquisition of Slobodna Dalmacija

In 2005, EPH launched a buyout bid of more than 540 millions kunas (80 million euros) for the popular local daily, Slobodna Dalmacija.[15] The offer was accepted, and in late 2005 the deal was settled.[16][17] There were a number of negative reactions and accusations of a potentially monopolistic position the purchase would mean for EPH. Slobodna Dalmacija has since seen an increase in circulation, now at around 60,000 copies, as well as an updated layout and format.[18]

EPH products

Newspapers

Magazines

Websites

[19]

References

  1. ↑ "O nama" (in Croatian and English). Koranska 2, Zagreb: Europapress Holding - EPH. 2008-07-17. Archived from the original on July 17, 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  2. 1 2 EuropaPress Holding (EPH) - information on company - Media Market Monitor
  3. ↑ Jutarnji.Hr :: PREDSTEČAJNA NAGODBA EPH Plan prošao uz rekordnu podršku vjerovnika, država bila protiv
  4. ↑ PROMJENA U UPRAVI EPH Za novu predsjednicu imenovana ekonomistica Zrinka Vuković Berić
  5. ↑ KRAJ VLASNIČKOG PREUSTROJA Imenovana nova Uprava i Nadzorni odbor Europapress holdinga
  6. ↑ Playboy magazine and Europapress to launch Croatian language edition. | Retail > Retailers from AllBusiness.com
  7. 1 2 Iz EPH odlaze Cosmopolitan, Grazia i Playboy - Vijesti - 057info - Zadar
  8. 1 2 Nakon preuzimanja od bivšeg nakladnika EPH :: Mediatop International
  9. ↑ WAZ Mediengruppe : Croatia
  10. ↑ http://sport.hrt.hr/htvsport/Opsirno.asp?dan=/2005/12/30/006.xml
  11. ↑ http://dalje.com/hr-hrvatska/zvone-boban-dao-otkaz-sportskim-novostima/217456
  12. ↑ IPI (International Press Institute) :: Croatia
  13. ↑ WAN - to express concern at the attempted murder of press magnate Ninoslav Pavic
  14. ↑ OSCE condemns car bomb attack on leading Croatian publisher | Article from AP Worldstream | HighBeam Research
  15. ↑ http://slobodnadalmacija.hr/20050322/temedana02.asp
  16. ↑ "EUROPAPRESS HOLDING dokapitalizirala Slobodnu Dalmaciju - Zagrebačka burza" (in Croatian). Zagreb: Zagreb Stock Exchange. 2005-10-27. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  17. ↑ EUROPAPRESS HOLDING dokapitalizirala Slobodnu Dalmaciju
  18. ↑ Croatia's EPH Launches Buyout Bid for Media Publisher Slobodna Dalmacija ‹ Latest News ‹ News ‹ SeeNews - know how to See
  19. ↑ Hrvatska novinska izdanja Hrvatske

External links

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