NORDIC 
MEDIA POLICY

In this year’s first issue of Nordic Media Policy, we report on a new government official report on Swedish film policy, Denmark’s plans to introduce a media ombudsman, the Norwegian media authority’s recommendation for platform-neutral VAT, Finland’s response to the EU Commission regarding Finnmedia’s complaint about Yle, and the Icelandic Media Committee's finding that the broadcaster RÚV has fulfilled its public service commitments. That and much more. 

New film policy proposed in Sweden

A new government official report on Swedish film and movies (SOU 2025:24) proposes the introduction of a new support fund to strengthen the conditions for film in the country. Additionally, the report suggests reducing VAT on cinema visits from the current 25% to 6% and implementing a law on streaming fees. The proposed fees would be 1.5% of the streaming companies’ revenue in Sweden.

Norway introduces co-financing obligation

The Norwegian Parliament has decided that streaming services must invest in Norwegian films and TV productions. This requirement is part of several amendments to the Broadcasting Act, which was passed by Parliament in February. The Act has been revised in response to changes in the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive. The new rules include a registration requirement for Norwegian streaming services and video-sharing platforms, a relaxation of advertising regulations, and stricter requirements for the universal design of programmes. Additionally, measures are being introduced to protect minors from harmful and illegal content on video platforms. The implementation date for the new rules has not yet been determined, writes the Norwegian Media Authority on its site.

Denmark to establish media ombudsman

A media ombudsman should be established in Denmark, according to the recommendation from the government-appointed committee, Medieansvarsudvalget. The proposal suggests that the media ombudsman should operate as an independent public body, reports Altinget. The ombudsman would have the authority to bring cases before the Danish Press Council and would primarily aim to promote fairness in the media landscape. The proposal has faced criticism from, among others, Stig Ørskov, CEO of JP/Politikens Hus, who favours a model like the Swedish system, where the ombudsman is an independent institution free from state influence. It is now up to the politicians to decide how to integrate the committee’s report and recommendations into the political process.

EMFA to be supplemented with national legislation in Finland 

In mid-February, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, finished a consultation round on a draft government proposal to supplement the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), adopted on 11 April 2024. The proposal suggests a new law to monitor the media market. This law would give Traficom the job of assessing how media market concentrations, which exceed the turnover limits set by the Competition Act, impact media diversity and editorial independence. The EMFA will come into effect on 8 August 2025, so the national laws must also be in place by then. The government plans to submit the proposal to Parliament in spring 2025.

EU rules on political advertising worry Danish media

The interest organisation Danish Media, among others, have expressed concerns in an op-ed in Altinget about the EU’s new rules regarding transparency in political advertising. The media organisations fear that if the rules are not properly designed, quality journalism will be weakened while global platforms will be strengthened.

New licensing process for commercial radio in Sweden

A new government bill proposes replacing the current Swedish process for allocating licences to broadcast analogue commercial radio with the selection process used for digital commercial radio. The allocation will prioritise diversity in content and ownership and consider applicants with experience in commercial radio or other audio media. Licence holders for analogue commercial radio will be required to pay an annual broadcasting fee based on the licence’s market value. These changes are set to take effect on 1 December 2025.

Yle Act amendments proposed

The Ministry of Transport and Communications in Finland is seeking comments on a draft government proposal to amend the Act on Yleisradio Oy. The changes aim to enhance transparency and oversight of the public service company Yle’s operations and finances, update its preparedness tasks, and align with the EMFA regarding the selection and dismissal of senior management. The implementation of EMFA is proposed to be carried out at its minimum level. Comments can be submitted until 14 March 2025.

Finland responds to EU Commission on Finnmedia’s Yle complaint

In September 2024, the Finnish Media Federation (Finnmedia) filed a complaint with the EU Commission, claiming that Yle received new state aid for providing journalistic content in text form, which is not closely related to Yle’s publications with moving images or sound, violating state aid rules. Just before Christmas last year, Finland responded to the Commission, stating that the complaint was unfounded. The EU Commission has also concluded its review of Sanoma Media's complaint about Yle’s state aid, and it maintains that Yle’s video-on-demand services and e-learning content comply with EU state aid rules.

Norway’s media authority recommends platform-neutral VAT exemptions 

VAT exemptions should be platform-neutral for news and current affairs media, concludes the Norwegian Media Authority in its report, Financial Conditions of Journalistic Media – Today and in the Future. The report, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Equality and presented to Minister Lubna Jaffery in January, is based on analyses of the current situation for journalistic media and an assessment of future economic conditions. “The government will continue to support a diverse media landscape in Norway and provide favourable conditions for editor-controlled media. This report will be an important basis for the government’s discussions on the future structure of media support”, says Jaffery in Journalisten (NO).

Magazine subsidy proposal halted in Sweden

In February, the Swedish government abandoned the proposal for a new temporary digital development subsidy for magazines offering in-depth societal and news journalism. In a press release, the government stated that the consultation bodies had been critical in their responses and that several of them had instead called for permanent support for a wider range of magazines.

Google allowed to conduct news tests in Denmark 

Google is free to conduct experiments impacting a small number of users, provided it adheres to all applicable EU regulations, reports Journalisten (DK). This was confirmed by the EU Commission following an experiment by Google that removed news content for 1% of European users, including Danish users.

Swedish news agency loses in supreme court 

Late last month, the Swedish supreme court determined that the news agency Siren is prohibited from distributing criminal case judgments to its clients or from providing the criminal judgments in its database, reports SVT. The news agency’s clients include other constitutionally protected media. The supreme court stated that this practice contravenes the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The ruling has faced criticism from parts of the media industry for making journalism more difficult, according to Dagens Media.

Nordic media policy bulletins

Norwegian parliament: A Frp-representative proposal to Stortinget for the breakup and sale of NRK

Norwegian Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance: Proposal for a new law to implement the EU regulation on digital services (DSA) before the summer

Ministry of Culture Denmark: The role of TV 2 regions to be renewed and strengthened

Ministry of Culture Denmark: Jesper Nygård new head of the Danish Film Institute

Swedish Film Institute: Change of criteria for support for the development and production of film projects

Swedish Media Agency: The Media Agency takes over publishing certificates from PRV

Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces: Denmark updates guidelines for video-on-demand services

Danish Radio and Television Board: Denmark reoffers non-commercial TV licences

Media Watch (DK): The regional and local media face difficult conditions in the innovation support system

Icelandic Media Committee: The national broadcasting corporation RÚV fulfilled its obligations in 2023

Nordic reports, statistics and studies

Norsk medietidsskrift: New issue (2024:4) is out

Nordicom Review: The uses of the term polarisation in Swedish newspapers, 2010–2021

Jyväskylä University: Does ownership matter? Comparing the contents of corporate and independently owned local newspapers in Finland (Journalism)

Global Media and Internet Research Project: Communications, media and internet concentration in Denmark, 2018-2022

Statistics Iceland: User-generated revenue 62% of Icelandic media’s revenue

Norwegian Media Authority: Increased consolidation and cooperation among Norwegian media

DR Analyse: Media development 2024 in Denmark

Deloitte: Digital Consumer Trends 2024: The Scandinavian ‘cut’

Nordicom: Studies on Media Usage in the Nordic Countries

Nordicom: 10 largest newspaper companies in the Nordics by revenue (2023)

Nordicom: 25 largest media companies in the Nordics by turnover (2023)

Don't forget our EU newsletter

Did you know that Nordicom has another newsletter about the media policy sector in the EU? It is called European Media Policy.

About the newsletter
The newsletter Nordic Media Policy reports on media policy developments in the Nordic countries and at the Nordic level. It presents new legislative proposals, parliamentary debates, and new media policy decisions and initiatives. The newsletter also draws attention to new reports and studies in the media field from the Nordic countries.

Nordic Media Policy is published with support from the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Editor
Tobias Lindberg, researcher at Nordicom
tobias.lindberg@nordicom.gu.se

Publisher
Nordicom University of Gothenburg
PO Box 713
SE-405 30
Gothenburg 
Sweden 
www.nordicom.gu.se

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