15min

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File:Saltoniskiu 9b by Augustas Didzgalvis.jpg

Founded on 1 September 2005, 15min started as a daily newspaper distributed freely across Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda through various channels, including in public transport, streets, and some cafés. Seven months later, the Norwegian media conglomerate Schibsted acquired the company overseeing its operations.

On 7 August 2008, the company expanded its reach by launching the online news portal 15min.lt. The frequency of publication was reduced to three times per week as of Autumn 2009. In December 2011, the publication transitioned into a weekly newspaper obtainable in seven Lithuanian cities.{{Cite news |title=Laikraštis "15 min" taps savaitraščiu, bus atleista dalis darbuotojų |language=lt |url=http://verslas.delfi.lt/Media/laikrastis-15-min-taps-savaitrasciu-bus-atleista-dalis-darbuotoju.d?id=53127533 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107203700/http://verslas.delfi.lt/Media/laikrastis-15-min-taps-savaitrasciu-bus-atleista-dalis-darbuotoju.d?id=53127533 |archive-date=7 January 2012}}{{Cite web |title=Verslas |url=https://www.tv3.lt/rubrika/naujienos/www.tv3.lt/rubrika/naujienos/verslas |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231218072433/https://rekvizitai.vz.lt/en/company/15_minuciu/turnover/ |archive-date=18 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=www.tv3.lt |language=lt}} Additionally, it launched a subscription delivery in April 2012.{{cite news | title=Populiariausią miestų laikraštį "15min" jau galima prenumeruoti | work=15min | date=20 April 2012 |url=https://www.15min.lt/verslas/naujiena/rinkodara/populiariausia-miestu-laikrasti-15min-jau-galima-prenumeruoti-149-212645 | language=lt | access-date=24 December 2023}}

In June 2013, the newspaper underwent a substantial transitional shift. A strategic decision was made to completely discontinue the printed publication and commit exclusively to digital publishing.{{cite news | title="15min" nutraukia popierinio savaitraščio leidybą | work=Delfi | date=27 June 2013 |url=https://www.delfi.lt/verslas/media/15min-nutraukia-popierinio-savaitrascio-leidyba-61722881 | language=lt | access-date=24 December 2023}} In September, Schibsted decided to exit the Baltic market. Consequently, the Eesti Meedia, the parent company of the 15min, was sold to the senior management.{{Cite web |last=Aukštuolytė |first=Rima |title="Schibsted" Baltijos žiniasklaidos verslą parduoda estams už 30 mln. EUR |url=https://www.vz.lt/archive/article/2013/9/9/schibsted-savo-versla-baltijos-salyse-pardave-eesti-meedia |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160725164041/http://vz.lt/archive/article/2013/9/9/schibsted-savo-versla-baltijos-salyse-pardave-eesti-meedia |archive-date=25 July 2016 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=vz.lt |language=lt}}

15min began functioning without an editor-in-chief in April 2015, entrusting department heads and editors with more managerial responsibility.{{Cite web |title=Atsinaujinusi 15min komanda: kas mes esame ir kaip nuo šiol dirbame |url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/atsinaujinusi-15min-lt-komanda-kas-mes-esame-ir-kaip-nuo-siol-dirbame-56-499837 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160510133900/http://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/atsinaujinusi-15min-lt-komanda-kas-mes-esame-ir-kaip-nuo-siol-dirbame-56-499837 |archive-date=10 May 2016 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=15min.lt |language=lt}} Known for its investigative journalism, it was an official partner of the investigation team that verified and published the Panama Papers on 3 April 2016.{{Cite web |date=2018-01-27 |title=Media Partners: Panama Papers |url=https://www.icij.org/media-partners/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231218223606/https://www.icij.org/media-partners/ |archive-date=18 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-18 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=The Panama Papers |url=https://docubase.mit.edu/project/the-panama-papers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231218100342/https://docubase.mit.edu/project/the-panama-papers/ |archive-date=18 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=MIT – Docubase |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tribune |first=the Lithuania |date=2016-08-10 |title=2 individuals and 7 companies in Lithuania under investigation after Panama Papers leak |url=https://lithuaniatribune.com/2-individuals-and-7-companies-in-lithuania-under-investigation-after-panama-papers-leak/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231218095404/https://lithuaniatribune.com/2-individuals-and-7-companies-in-lithuania-under-investigation-after-panama-papers-leak/ |archive-date=18 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=the Lithuania Tribune |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2019-07-15 |title=Counting the Panama Papers money: how we reached $1.24 billion – ICIJ |url=https://www.icij.org/investigations/panama-papers/counting-the-panama-papers-money-how-we-reached-1-28-billion/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231218101809/https://www.icij.org/investigations/panama-papers/counting-the-panama-papers-money-how-we-reached-1-28-billion/ |archive-date=18 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-18 |language=en-US}} That same month 15min updated the portal and the next month it disabled anonymous comments.{{Cite web |date=2016-05-02 |title="Interneto higienos" judėjimas: kaip šią 15min idėją vertina garsūs žmonės |url=https://www.15min.lt/zmones/naujiena/lietuva/interneto-higienos-judejimas-kaip-sia-15min-ideja-vertina-garsus-zmones-1050-620487 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231218085306/https://www.15min.lt/zmones/naujiena/lietuva/interneto-higienos-judejimas-kaip-sia-15min-ideja-vertina-garsus-zmones-1050-620487 |archive-date=18 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=15min.lt |language=lt}} At the same time it also introduced a paywall to ad-blockers, thus partially charging for content.{{Cite web |last=Balčiūnienė |first=Rūta |title=Naujas žingsnis: "15min" be reklamos – 1 Eur per mėnesį |url=https://www.vz.lt/vadyba/rinkodara/2016/05/05/naujas-zingsnis-15minlt-be-reklamos-1eur-per-menesi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231218090105/https://www.vz.lt/vadyba/rinkodara/2016/05/05/naujas-zingsnis-15minlt-be-reklamos-1eur-per-menesi |archive-date=18 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=vz.lt |language=lt}}

Under a partnership agreement active until 2017, 15min carried pieces from other brands of the Žurnalų leidybos grupės such as Žmonės. After that it replaced them with sections such as "Life," "Food," and "Names."{{Cite web |last=Balčiūnienė |first=Rūta |title=Skiriasi "15min" ir "Žurnalų leidybos grupė" |url=https://www.vz.lt/rinkodara/2017/01/27/skiriasi-15min-ir-zurnalu-leidybos-grupe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231218091744/https://www.vz.lt/rinkodara/2017/01/27/skiriasi-15min-ir-zurnalu-leidybos-grupe |archive-date=18 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=vz.lt |language=lt}}

On 16 December 2019, a paid content subscription service was launched, initially named "15MAX" and later rebranded as "15min subscription."{{fact|date=November 2024}}

On 25 September 2020, the workers union "Independent 15min Editorial Staff" was formed, and the journalists from the Investigative Department resigned from their positions.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

In 2021, it was announced that JSC "15min" would merge with JSC "Media Bitės". Upon completion of the merger, the "15min Group" became the owner of the news portal "15min," the news agency BNS, and the magazine "Žmonės."{{fact|date=November 2024}}

In April 2021, it was reported that "15min," BNS, and "Media Bitės" were merging. After receiving approval from the Competition Council, the "15min Group" began operations in Lithuania. In this new structure, 60% is owned by AS "Postimees Grupp" and 40% by "4 Bees", which is owned by T. Balžekas, M. Basokas, G. Burbienė, and T. Bindokas. Following the merger, the businesses that belonged to "Media Bitės" became part of JSC "15min."{{fact|date=November 2024}}

In December 2023, "4 Bees" acquired 60% of JSC "15min" and 100% of its subsidiary UAB "BNS" shares from AS "Postimees Grupp". "4 Bees" became the sole owner of 100 % of the shares.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

On 1 July 2024, it was announced that JSC "15min" had signed an agreement to acquire radio stations owned by "M-1," and on 31 July, it was announced that the acquisition deal was completed.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

• 2005–2017 Tomas Balžekas
• 2017–2021 Ramūnas Šaučikovas
• 2021 Donatas Večerskis
• 2021–present Tomas Balžekas

• 2008–2010 Žilvinas Pekarskas
• 2011 Liudas Dapkus
• 2012–2015 Rimvydas Valatka
• 2015–2017 none
• 2017–2021 Raimundas Celencevičius
• 2021–present Vaidotas Beniušis

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{{Portal|Companies}}

• {{Official website|www.15min.lt}}

{{Panama Papers leak}}

{{Portal bar|Economics|Journalism|Politics}}

Category:Daily newspapers published in Lithuania

Category:2005 establishments in Lithuania

Category:Free newspapers

Category:Newspapers established in 2005

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