The move comes after the paper’s current owner, Norwegian company Orkla, announced it was selling its media arm to British investment company Mecom. This means that Mecom would own 49 percent of the paper.
NSD’s chairman K-G Holmqvist said that the sale of Orkla was expected. He added the most probable outcome was that the paper’s minority shareholders Valrossen (representing the local Social Democratic Party) and fellow local paper Piteå Tidningen would use their rights to buy up Orkla’s stake.
This would give the Social Democrats control of the paper, although the move is unlikely to have a major effect on its editorial line: as its name suggests, the paper is already a staunch supporter of Sweden’s ruling party.