Mediahuis is to centralise distribution of its digital editions, adding unique analytics and working together on future innovation, following an agreement with Twipe.
The Belgium-headquartered European media group says it has concluded a major partnership to grow the reading of its newspapers on digital devices. Distribution of all digital newspapers will be via Twipe’s Cloud Editions platform, with both partners saying they intend to “engage more closely” into future collaboration and innovation projects.
Formed in 2013 as a joint venture between Corelio and Concentra – two companies with a long history in Belgian publishing – Mediahuis has news brands in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and moved into the English-speaking market with the 2019 acquisition of Independent News & Media (now Mediahuis Ireland).
Chief digital officer Peter Soetens says growth and consolidation over past years has resulted in digital newspapers being distributed through a variety of solutions. The new long term collaboration will see Twipe distribute digital versions of several of Mediahuis’ national and regional newspapers, across Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Ireland over coming months.
Twipe founder and chief executive Danny Lein said he was thrilled to welcome Mediahuis as a key strategic partner. “This new partnership is very special for us, as this year we celebrate our ten year anniversary.
“We have a very special relationship with De Standaard, one of the flagship titles of Mediahuis, which has been at the roots of our company since the early days.”
Besides the distribution of digital editions, Twipe and Mediahuis "intend to closely work together on collaborative innovation projects.”
Now a leading international multimedia company, Mediahuis has a diversified portfolio and news brands including Het Nieuwsblad and De Standaard in Belgium and NRC, De Telegraaf, Leeuwarder Courant and De Limburger in the Netherlands. Mediahuis Ireland’s stable includes the Irish Independent, Sunday Independent and the Belfast Telegraph. In 2020, Mediahuis acquired Saint-Paul Luxembourg, the country’s largest media group and publisher of Luxemburger Wort.
Twipe is based in Leuven, Belgium, claiming publishers such as The Telegraph, Le Monde and Ouest-France as clients, and has been active in the US since February, distributing digital editions for the 24 newspapers of the Advance Local media group. Google Digital News Initiative funding has supported three projects including James, Your Digital Butler with News UK, using machine learning and artificial intelligence to form new reading habits and personalise reading lists.