Media support

The plan demands a rich media landscape with comprehensive journalistic coverage on national, regional, and local levels, which is supported by the fact that also smaller newspapers can survive. Raising media support and protecting media diversity directly answer that commitment. The election manifesto underscores that a free culture and independent media are crucial for democracy in a time when right-populist forces want to steer information.

• comprehensive local journalismdecisive»bevakning på nationell, regional och lokal nivå.« (party programme ↗)“coverage on national, regional, and local levels.”
• independent media»Vi vill se en stark, bred och självständig roll för« (party programme ↗)“We want to see a strong, broad, and independent role for”
• invest in independent media»Därför är det särskilt viktigt att satsa på och utveckla folkbiblioteken, folkbildningen och public services oberoende ställning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore it is especially important to invest in and develop public libraries, public education, and public service's independent position.”
• free culture strengthens democracy»En fri kultur är avgörande för en stark demokrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A free culture is crucial for a strong democracy.”

The plan establishes that media support should provide conditions for independent and locally anchored news reporting throughout the country and demands media diversity with broader perspectives. Support that leads to smaller newspapers being closed undermines this, which is why increased support and strengthened diversity are in line with the plan. The plan, however, specifies no support levels.

• media support for the whole countrydecisive»Mediestödet ska ge förutsättningar för oberoende och lokalt förankrad nyhetsförmedling i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Media support shall provide conditions for independent and locally anchored news reporting throughout the country.”
• media diversity»Mediemångfald med bredare perspektiv i hela landet.« (party programme ↗)“Media diversity with broader perspectives throughout the country.”
• independent media»Fri och oberoende media.« (party programme ↗)“Free and independent media.”
• jointly financed public service»Bred, oberoende och grundlagsskyddad public service som är gemensamt finansierad.« (party programme ↗)“Broad, independent and constitutionally protected public service that is jointly financed.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan commits to supporting independent media across the country and to safeguard a diversity of commercial media to guarantee a diversity of opinions. Increased media support that saves smaller newspapers and raises media diversity is a direct application of that commitment. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demand.

• support for independent mediadecisive»förstärka yttrandefriheten och stödja oberoende medier i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen freedom of expression and support independent media across the country.”
• media diversity as a goal»Miljöpartiet slår vakt om ett brett och oberoende public service och en mångfald av kommersiella medier, för att garantera en mångfald av åsikter.« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party safeguards a broad and independent public broadcasting service and a diversity of commercial media, to guarantee a diversity of opinions.”
• free media as a foundation for democracy»Fria medier och journalister som granskar makten och informerar invånarna är en förutsättning för att demokratin ska utvecklas och frodas.« (party programme ↗)“Free media and journalists who scrutinize power and inform residents are a prerequisite for democracy to develop and flourish.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The election manifesto establishes that comprehensive, independent and vigorous media monitoring throughout the country is decisive for democracy and that press freedom shall be protected. That smaller newspapers risk closure and that media diversity decreases goes straight against that commitment. The plan therefore gives support to the counter-proposal's demand for increased support and that media diversity be valued equally with local news distribution.

• vigorous media monitoring throughout the countrydecisive»En allsidig, oberoende och livskraftig mediebevakning i hela landet är avgörande för demokratin. Pressfriheten ska skyddas och oberoende public service försvaras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Comprehensive, independent and vigorous media monitoring throughout the country is decisive for democracy. Press freedom shall be protected and independent public service defended.”
• the free press as an institution»Våra demokratiska institutioner och principer — oberoende domstolar, äganderätten, den fria pressen, likheten inför lagen och många fler — ska stå starka oavsett politiskt styre.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our democratic institutions and principles — independent courts, property rights, the free press, equality before the law and many more — shall stand strong regardless of political rule.”
• independent media's monitoring»är en avgörande del av demokratin och av granskningen av makten i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“is a decisive part of democracy and of monitoring of power in society.”
• arm's length distance but good conditions»Den akademiska och konstnärliga friheten liksom den fria kulturen är grundbultar i ett vitalt civilsamhälle. Politiken ska bidra till goda förutsättningar men hålla armlängds avstånd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Academic and artistic freedom as well as free culture are cornerstones in a vital civil society. Policy shall contribute to good conditions but maintain arm's length distance.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan wants to reshape press and media support with a view to local investigative quality journalism and set a final time limit for the current press support, with an independent fund as a replacement. The counter-proposal's requirement for raised support levels within the existing system points in the opposite direction. The plan's concern for media independence, however, speaks partly for the diversity argument, hence uncertainty is great.

• time limit for press supportdecisive»En bortre tidsgräns för det nuvarande presstödet ska slås fast. En fristående fond ska inrättas för att stödja granskande journalistik.« (party programme ↗)“A final time limit for the current press support shall be set. An independent fund shall be established to support investigative journalism.”
• reshaped media support»Vi vill göra om press- och mediestödet för att främja en lokal granskande kvalitetsjournalistik i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to reshape press and media support to promote local investigative quality journalism across the country.”
• independent scrutinising media»Mediernas oberoende roll och kritiska granskning är grunden i varje demokrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Media independence and critical scrutiny are the foundation of every democracy.”
• valued media independence»Mediernas oberoende måste värnas.« (party programme ↗)“Media independence must be valued.”

The plan emphasizes strong protection for freedom of expression and communication, that a rich cultural life vitalizes democracy and that the state is responsible for cultural infrastructure throughout the country. Smaller newspapers being eliminated and diversity declining goes against this. The plan says nothing about media support levels, however, so support for the counter-proposal's demands is derived and uncertain.

• freedom of expression and communicationdecisive»Ett starkt skydd för yttrande- och meddelarfriheten samt anonymitetsskyddet, liksom för« (party programme ↗)“Strong protection for freedom of expression and communication, as well as anonymity protection, as well as”
• cultural infrastructure throughout the country»brukar benämnas en kulturell infrastruktur, i hela landet.« (party programme ↗)“usually called cultural infrastructure, throughout the country.”
• cultural life vitalizes democracy»Ett rikt kulturliv vitaliserar även demokratin.« (party programme ↗)“A rich cultural life also vitalizes democracy.”
• independent news coverage»Public service ska tillhandahålla oberoende och saklig nyhetsförmedling« (party programme ↗)“Public service shall provide independent and factual news coverage”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan wants to reform media support, not increase it, and the party programme explicitly warns that public financing and political ambitions constitute a risk for the media. The goal is independent institutions that stand free from state and politics and a broad range of media in competition. Increased support levels and new targeted support therefore go against the plan's line.

• reformed media supportdecisive»Reformera mediestödet för att stödja den digitala transformationen och omställningen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reform media support to support the digital transformation and transition”
• risk with public media financing»offentlig finansiering och politiska ambitioner utgör en risk.« (party programme ↗)“public financing and political ambitions constitute a risk.”
• media free from the state»Målet ska vara självständiga institutioner som i sin verksamhet står fria från stat och politik.« (party programme ↗)“The goal shall be independent institutions that in their operations stand free from state and politics.”
• diversity through competition»Moderaternas mediepolitik har som mål att skapa förutsättningar för ett brett utbud av medier i olika format som kan verka fritt, självständigt och i konkurrens med varandra.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Moderates' media policy aims to create conditions for a broad range of media in different formats that can operate freely, independently and in competition with each other.”

The plan requires that the public's economic control over the media sphere decrease and that media independence increase through reduced political control. The counter-proposal's requirement for increased support levels and a new targeted support for student media instead expand the public economic dependency. The plan's requirement for diversity speaks partly in the other direction, but is according to the plan carried by less state control rather than larger subsidies.

• less public media controldecisive»Minska det offentligas ekonomiska kontroll över samtidskulturen och mediesfären« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the public's economic control over contemporary culture and the media sphere”
• independent media and diversity»Mediernas oberoende ska öka genom minskad politisk styrning från statsmakten och åtgärder för en ökad mångfald.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Media independence shall increase through reduced political control from the state and measures for increased diversity.”
• restraint with public spending»Skala bort onödiga utgifter i det offentliga« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Scale back unnecessary public expenditure”
• results requirements for public investments»Begära tydliga resultat för varje offentlig satsning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Demand clear results for every public investment”