Sveriges Radio is the public radio broadcast company in Sweden. It has 26 local channels and the largest network of foreign correspondents in the Nordic region.
Media assets
Radio: National- P1, P2, P3, P4; Local- P4 Blekinge, P4 Dalarna, P4 Gotland, P4 Gävleborg, P4 Göteborg, P4 Halland, P4 Jämtland, P4 Jönköping, P4 Kalmar, P4 Kristianstad, P4 Kronoberg, P4 Malmöhus, P4 Norrbotten, P4 Sjuhärad, P4 Skaraborg, P4 Stockholm, P4 Sörmland, P4 Uppland, P4 Värmland, P4 Väst, P4 Västerbotten, P4 Västernorrland, P4 Västmanland, P4 Örebro, P4 Östergötland
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent Public (IP)
Ownership and governance
Sveriges Radio is a limited company owned by a foundation, a structure that was created with the aim of insulating the broadcaster from any government pressure. The foundation is the main governing body for all public media in Sweden (SVT and Sveriges Radio). The foundation has a board of 13 members who are appointed based on proposals from political parties, but not according to the parties’ power in government. Formally, these members are appointed by the government. Yet, as the government doesn’t have any say in the overall funding of the foundation and can’t impose on its own anybody on the foundation’s board, this structure has proved to ensure the broadcaster’s autonomy. The foundation appoints the board of Sveriges Radio.
Source of funding and budget
As of 2019, Sveriges Radio has been financed by a public service fee that is income-based and collected as a tax. The broadcaster is funded in exactly the same way as SVT. In 2022, Sveriges Radio had a total budget of SEK 3.2bn (US$ 300m), most of it coming from the public service fee paid by all country’s citizens, according to a report issued by the station.
Editorial independence
The government is not allowed to impose any rules on Sveriges Radio’s editorial coverage. The station is known for its editorial independence and quality programming. No evidence of any kind of editorial control by the government has been identified by the research carried out for this project.
A broadcasting permit granted by the government to Sveriges Radio, valid for the period 2020-2025, which is more like a charter between the two parties, guarantees the editorial independence of the station. The permit states that the station “shall conduct audio radio operations in the service of the public and that the operations shall be characterized by independence and strong integrity and be conducted independently in relation to economic, political and other interests.”
The independent assessment mechanisms in place at SVT apply in the same manner to Sveriges Radio.
September 2023