#12 Trust in Numbers: How Shared Data Makes Publishers Stronger Together. Bente Håvimb at MBL (Medietall)

What happens when competitors share their most sensitive numbers — and build one common truth instead of competing dashboards?

In this episode of Insight Shapes News by Kilkaya, host Nils Ove Håland Riise talks with Bente Håvimb, Project Manager at MBL (the Norwegian Media Business Association), about Medietall — the shared measurement system that unites nearly every Norwegian publisher under one set of trusted audience data.

We dive into why transparency matters in an era of declining ad revenues, how collaboration on data helps publishers compete with global tech giants, and what makes Norway’s news market a “unicorn” in the eyes of international observers.

🎧 Topics we cover:

• Why openness and shared standards build trust between publishers, advertisers, and readers

• How Medietall measures reach, subscriptions, and behavior across 190+ titles

• Why “apples to apples” data lets Norwegian media stand stronger against Big Tech

• The unique Norwegian mix: high subscriptions, direct traffic, and logged-in users

• How advertisers actually use these numbers — and why many still default to global platforms

• What success looks like for Medietall: stability, quality, and constant adaptation

• The road ahead: video, audio, AI, and measuring trust as the next big KPI

If you want to understand how collaboration can turn competitors into allies — and why a transparent, shared dataset is becoming the strongest weapon against Big Tech dominance — this conversation offers a rare look behind the numbers that shape Norway’s media industry.

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Chapters

00:00 The State of Norwegian News Media

05:38 The Importance of Data Sharing in Media

11:19 Trust and Collaboration Among Publishers

17:14 Advertising Value and Media Reach

22:58 Unique Aspects of the Norwegian Media Market

28:49 Future Outlook for Media and Data

34:36 Challenges and Opportunities Ahead