Agora and "Gazeta Wyborcza" daily were created before the parliamentary elections in 1989. "Gazeta Wyborcza" became the first independent daily in the country, and Agora grew into one of the largest and most known media companies in Poland. Since 1999 the Company has been listed on Warsaw Stock Exchange.
The Group's largest enterprises are:
- Helios S.A. - operator of the largest cinema network in the country in terms of the number of facilities and owner of the NEXT FILM company, dealing in film distribution and production;
- Gazeta Wyborcza - the most popular opinion-forming newspaper in Poland, whose content is available in paper version, on the Internet - Wyborcza.pl and Wysokieobcasy.pl and on smartphones, tablets and e-readers; is the leader of digital transformation in Poland with 296 thousand active paid digital subscriptions at the end of June 2022.
- AMS - leader on the Polish outdoor advertising market;
- The company also publishes music and film books and albums.
Agora's websites are among the leading in terms of popularity in their categories. The company's dozens of Internet brands include, among others: Gazeta.pl, Sport.pl, Tokfm.pl and Plotek.pl, available online and through mobile applications; Agora is present on the programmatic advertising market through its subsidiary Yieldbird - one of the fastest growing companies in this area on the Polish market.
The company also owns three music brands of local radio stations: Złote Przeboje, Rock Radio and Radio Pogoda, the internet radio Tuba.FM and is the majority co-owner of the supraregional Radio TOK FM.
Agora has been operating on the food service market since 2019 through the Step Inside company belonging to the Helios network, which creates new restaurants under the Pasibus brand.
The Agora Group plans for 2018-2022 to develop its largest businesses, including expanding the Helios cinema network, strengthening the position on the out-of-home market and selling premium content in the subscription model. At the same time Agora focuses on the start of operations in entirely new areas outside the advertising market: in the field of innovative B2B services and in the sphere of entertainment and leisure.
The Agora Group’s new strategy for 2018-2022 is based on two strong pillars: systematic development of existing businesses and expanding the offer of the largest enterprises with innovative products or premium services, as well as development of new activities in prospective market segments.
The Agora Group focuses in its current activity on:
- the development of sales of quality content in the subscription model and strengthening the leading position in this segment. The Group aims to triple the average number of subscriptions for both Gazeta Wyborcza’s digital content and Radio TOK FM podcasts, as well as to ensure better monetization of this business model. Ultimately, in 2022, half of Gazeta Wyborcza's revenues will come from digital sources, and its profitability will improve regularly.
- further development of the Helios cinema network, which is the foundation of Agora's presence in the segment related to spending free time by Poles. The number of Helios facilities will increase systematically, also in large agglomerations. The cinema offer will be enriched also by new screening rooms Helios Dream – luxuriously equipped premium screening rooms.
- AMS entry into the next development phase due to changes in the panel portfolio structure - especially the increase in the share of premium panels, as well as a wider range of digital solutions, including those integrated with city furniture.
- further, dynamic development of the Yieldbird company, the leader of the ad-tech industry, which has already achieved global success. This year, Yieldbird will offer another group of customers a new product, focusing on increasing its revenues and achieving higher profitability by 2022.
Agora intends also to dynamically enter the market of B2B services and become the first choice partner for enterprises operating on the e-commerce market and looking for effective MarTech tools. The Group plans to develop this new business through both acquisitions and organic growth.
Agora has also begun an intensive market research for new areas of activity, focusing in particular on projects related to spending free time away from home. The main foundation of this development is Helios, the leader of the Polish cinema market. Basing on existing competences and the know-how acquired from the market, the Group will offer new recipients modern eateries and entertainment concepts for the whole family both in shopping centers and outside them.
The Management Board of Agora estimates that in the next 4 years, the level of investment in existing businesses may amount to ca. PLN 430 million. However, the Group plans to allocate up to PLN 500 million for the development of new ventures, investing in projects in the following areas: leisure and entertainment, B2B services for e-commerce, MarTech tools and other concepts. Agora does not exclude investments strengthening its current businesses, especially in those areas where the possibilities of dynamic organic growth have been exhausted. At the same time, the Management Board of Agora aims to maintain the company's dividend policy.
More information on the Agora Group's plans, including goals for selected businesses, can be found in the "Agora Group Strategy for 2018-2022".
Video transmission of the meeting with Agora's Management Board.