A welfare perspective on Nordic media subsidies

ABSTRACT

Subsidies constitute a prominent media-policy instrument, serving to correct media-market failures. However, because they interfere in the market, and because the commercial media market is under structural pressure in the digital age, there is much debate about the role of media subsidies. Within this context, this article revisits the foundation of media subsidies in certain developed democracies, aiming at qualifying the current discussions. Focusing on the Nordic countries, the article explores the connection between the social-democratic welfare-state regime and the extensive public frameworks for media subsidies found in this region. The article argues that even though continuity rather than disruption characterises the systems of direct and indirect subsidies, the current developments point towards a recalibration of the ways the Nordic countries subsidise media in the future.

KEYWORDS:

• Media policy
• media subsidies
• the Nordic countries
• welfare state

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Iceland is not part of this study.

2. Norway is not part of the European Union, which is the organisational body behind the single market. Through the EEA agreement, however, the country has adopted most of the EU legislation concerning the single market and is part of the trade cooperation (with the possibilities and constraints that come with it).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the “Reforming the Welfare State Institutions” research programme at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Southern Denmark.

Notes on contributors

Aske Kammer

Aske Kammer is Assistant Professor at The IT University of Copenhagen, where he researches the consequences of digitalisation on media policy and media economics.