MTG partners with Maker Studios

Modern Times Group (MTG) has signed a content distribution deal with web video provider and YouTube multichannel network (MCN), Maker Studios.

MTG will distribute Maker’s content on its ad-funded online video services across Scandinavia, the Baltic States, Czech Republic, Hungary and Bulgaria.

Disney-owned Maker claims more than 8.5 billion monthly views from its 55,000 channel partners – which have notched up 550 million subscribers. Maker’s popular YouTube partners include PewDiePie and Epic Rap Battles of History.

“This deal is the first-of-its-kind for MTG and another example of what we mean by shaping the future of entertainment,” said MTG President and CEO Jørgen Madsen Lindemann.

The agreement comes after MTG bought a stake in Swedish MCN Splay at the end of last year. In August 2013, MTG also bought NetInfo, which operates a video-sharing service for local content in Bulgaria.

“We now have online catch–up free-TV services in a total of nine countries and our leading subscription video on demand provider, Viaplay, is available in six countries. Our commitment to expanding our digital footprint and offering is clear and securing great content through long term partnerships is key to this,” said Lindemann.