Nordicom has released the sixteenth edition of MedieSverige [MediaSweden], a comprehensive report on Sweden’s media landscape. The report covers policy shifts, digital trends, and industry developments, but its insights also extend beyond Sweden’s borders.
Published for 40 years, MedieSverige remains a vital resource for understanding Sweden’s evolving media environment. Nordicom has just released the latest edition, MedieSverige 2025. We spoke with its compilers, Ulrika Facht and Elisabeth Falk, about the key findings and relevance for Nordic media researchers.
An Overview of Sweden’s Media Landscape
MedieSverige 2025 provides a broad yet compact overview of various aspects of the media landscape. Although it’s not a purely academic report, it’s a valuable resource for researchers and doctoral students seeking a wider perspective.
“MedieSverige 2025 is written for those who are interested but not deeply familiar with how the media landscape in Sweden operates. The information is firmly grounded in established and reliable sources”, says Facht.
A past reader from within academia described MedieSverige as providing exactly what they needed to navigate the new media landscape – a standard the new edition aims to uphold.
Significant Shifts in Recent Years
The Swedish media landscape has undergone significant shifts since the last edition of the report was released two years ago. One of the most notable changes is within media policy.
“News media subsidies have been restructured, paid-TV has navigated away from the terrestrial network, and ownership concentration in the daily press continues to affect distribution and consumption”, Facht summarises.
Further transformations are underway, including new licensing periods for public service and commercial radio. The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) will also be fully implemented in August 2025. While much of the EMFA aligns with existing Swedish laws, new provisions will be introduced.
“The next edition of MedieSverige will explore how these regulations impact Sweden’s media landscape, including government and public-sector advertising investments”, says Facht.
The Growing Influence of Podcast
The report also determines that the transition from traditional to digital media continues, with digital formats now dominating.
“The digital landscape is now a given, even for established media. But traditional formats still coexist alongside digital ones”, explains Falk.
MedieSverige 2025 expands the focus on podcasts, reflecting their growing role in Sweden’s audio market. Despite earlier concerns about a “podcast bubble”, Sweden’s top podcasts remain stable, with major productions from Sveriges Radio (SR) and commercial platforms.
Sweden in a Nordic Context
Although MedieSverige is focusing on the media landscape in Sweden, it shares many similarities with the other Nordic countries.
“The Nordic countries are characterised by high technological development, strong digital media adoption, and a robust public service tradition. Newspaper readership and willingness to pay for news remain high by international standards”, says Falk.
Several major Nordic media companies operate across borders, with recent cross-national acquisitions – such as the recent purchase of the Swedish TV4 group by Schibsted, highlighting increasing consolidation. However, differences remain, particularly in how media subsidies are structured and how public service and radio broadcasting are organised.
Read the report
MedieSverige 2025
Photo: Scandinavia Bildbyrå