Sweden: Media companies boycott Telia's mobile platform Surf Open

The Swedish Newspaper Publishers' Association is supporting several media companies in the boycott of Telia's newly launched mobile service Surf Open because the service affects the content and form of newspaper websites without the consent of the publishers.

A newspaper's site through Surf Open is not displayed in original form. Instead what shows up is a page with a Surf Open header, a matching menu footer, and advertisements from Telia, not the ads put up by the paper.

Many problems arise with the newspaper's advertising: If Surf Open inserts an advertisement of "questionable character" at a newspaper's site, the publisher will receive the complaints, not Telia. Also, Telia makes money off of advertising space that the newspapers have already sold.

Anna Serner, Managing Director of the Swedish Newspaper Publishers' Association, has demanded in a letter to Indra Åsander, responsible for TeliaSonera's mobile content services on the European market, that "Telia modify its newly launched mobile service."

"Everyone realizes that it is unreasonable that a distributor - in this case Telia - should make money off of advertising space that other parties - the newspapers - have already sold. A reputable company such as Telia should surely be able to generate revenue in a more responsible manner," said Serner.

Source: TU, Swedish Newspaper Publishers through WAN-Press