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Particularities of media systems in the West Nordic countries Cover

Particularities of media systems in the West Nordic countries

Open Access
|Mar 2021

Figures & Tables

Media subsidies to private media in the West Nordic countries

Subsidies (thousand EUR)
Faroes
  Subsidies introduced in 2017. Platform neutral.270
Greenland
  Long tradition of state funding. Platform specific support to print media.Radio & TV: 250
Press: 330 (as of 2020)
Iceland
Bill introduced in Parliament in 2019 proposing subsidies to private news media. Platform neutral.2,890 (as proposed)

Newspapers in the West Nordic countries, 1950–2018 (daily and non-daily titles and circulation)

19501960197019801990200020102018
Number of titles

Faroes
  dailies0000121
  non-dailies66678333
Greenland
  national non-dailies00022222
Iceland
  dailies55566322
  non-dailies9106918192118

Circulation in thousands

Faroes
  dailies000061790
  non-dailies1116203530111812
Greenland
  national non-dailies000910944
Iceland
  dailies465768889691130119
  non-dailies........5657231136

Circulation per 100 inhabitants

Faroes
  dailies00001337180
  non-dailies3647528064233724
Greenland
  national non-dailies00018181587
Iceland
  dailies3232333838324133
  non-dailies..........207338

Appointment of public service media boards in the West Nordic countries

OrganisationMembersAppointment
FaroesKvF7Four members appointed by the political parties represented in the parliament, two by the minister, and one by the staff of KvF.
GreenlandKNR6Head of board and one member appointed by the government, three others upon recommendations by the University and The Cultural Association, and one by the staff of KNR.
IcelandRÚV9The governing board of RÚV is elected by parliament by proportional representation, and one is appointed by the staff of RÚV without voting right.

Public service broadcasting audience shares in the Nordic countries, 2019 (per cent)

OrganisationRadioTV
FaroesKvF....
GreenlandKNR8254
IcelandRÚV5067
DenmarkDR7736
FinlandYLE4944
NorwayNRK6539
SwedenSR/SVT7035

Public service media organisations in the Nordic countries, 2017–2018 (revenue and full-time positions)

Revenue (thousand EUR)Public financing (%)Full-time positions
TotalPublicMarket
Faroes (KvF)10,0538,3591,6948395
Greenland (KNR)9,8449,0967489292
Iceland (RÚV)47,98930,71417,27564260
Denmark (DR)548,639496,34652,293902,699
Finland (YLE)472,265461,77110,494983,333
Norway (NRK)583,101549,09434,007943,419
Sweden (SR/SVT/UR)768,285734,96033,325964,617

Populations and economies in the Nordic countries

Surface area (thousand per km2)Population (thousand)GDP (million USD)GDP per capita (USD)GDP per capita (rank)
Faroes1492,68955,81818
Greenland2,166562,70748,17925
Iceland10335425,87873,19012
Denmark435,797355,67561,35516
Finland3385,518276,74350,15322
Norway3855,314434,16781,7027
Sweden45010,183556,08654,60919

State involvement in media in the Nordic countries (allowances and restrictions)

FaroesGreenlandIcelandDenmarkFinlandNorwaySweden
Direct subsidies to private mediaYesYesNoYesYesYesYes
Indirect subsidies to private mediaaYesNocYesYesYesYesYes
Limits to media ownershipbNoNoNoNoNoYesNo
Advertisements allowed in public service radio & TVYesdYesYesNoNoNoNo
Advertisements allowed on the public service webNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nor-2021-0020 | Journal eISSN: 2001-5119 | Journal ISSN: 1403-1108
Language: English
Page range: 102 - 123
Published on: Mar 26, 2021
Published by: University of Gothenburg Nordicom
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 2 issues per year

© 2021 Signe Ravn-Højgaard, Valgerður Jóhannsdóttir, Ragnar Karlsson, Rógvi Olavson, Heini í Skorini, published by University of Gothenburg Nordicom
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.