The Swedish media landscape
The written press
In Sweden, the newspaper market has for a very long time been very strong. Every day,
approximately 80 per cent of the adult population read a newspaper. And an important
aspect is that almost all social groups read newspapers.
In Sweden there are approximately 160 papers on the market. With a circulation of about
4.2 million copies, Sweden is close to the top of newspaper consumption nations.
The newspaper market is in Sweden often split into four segments:
 The metropolitan morning papers, witch represents about 25 per cent of the total
circulation. The biggest being Dagens Nyheter (361 000 copies).
 The metropolitan single copy sale papers, witch represents about 20 per cent of
the total circulation. The biggest being; Aftonbladen (412 000 copies) and
Ekspressen (327 000 copies).
 The regional and local papers, witch represents about 45 per cent of the total
circulation.
 Newspapers published once or twice a week, both local papers in the metropolitan
areas and small regional papers; witch represents less than 10 per cent of the total
circulation.
Since the mid-1980s there has been a small decline in the circulation in the Swedish
newspaper market, mainly within the single copy newspapers. But in total the market has
been fairly stable the last 30 years.
We see the same pattern in the general Swedish magazine press who has experienced a
long-term decline in circulation. But on the other hand, specialized magazines about
food, sport, science etc. have increased.
As in Norway, there exist a system of direct government subsidies to economically weak
newspapers, introduced in the early 1970s.
Another important aspect of the Swedish press is that it was traditionally closely
connected to the political parties. But this is not the situation anymore.
The dominant actors in the newspaper market in Sweden are the Bonnier Group, with a
quarter of the total newspaper circulation, and the Norwegian company Schibsted.
The audiovisual media
In Sweden, as in many other European countries television was introduced as public
service media. And for a long time the Swedish public service media has been one
organization, until 1992 where radio and television became two separate companies.
Sveriges Television, SVT, is the public service company and traditionally the main actor
in the television area. SVT is not state owned, but owned by a foundation funded by
government money. SVT is representing channels like SVT1, SVT2 and SVT24. It also
produces a channel for Swedes abroad and a channel for the Swedish speaking areas of
Finland.
In the second half of the 1980s, the channels owned privately, financed by advertising
were introduced, and the television monopoly was broken. TV3 started, followed by the
Nordic Channel, Channel 5, Z-TV, TV6 and TV8.
Today, the main commercial broadcaster is the terrestrial channel TV4.
Three great owners of the satellite channels are The Kinnevik Group, The Bonnier Group
and Alma Media witch also have interests in other media areas.
National media policies
The goal in the television field has been to open the market, but to restrict advertising. In
the newspaper market the goal has been to maintain pluralism and to support weak
newspapers on the local market.
Main recent media developments
Some recent trends in the media field:
 Newspaper; a slight decline in circulation.
 Television; digitalization is on the agenda.
 Swedish newspapers, like both television and radio, have been very active in
using the internet for publication, even though only a few are to said to be
profitable so far.