Sweden is one of the highest-ranking countries in the RSF World Press Freedom Index, coming in 5th out of 180 countries and territories. Nevertheless, Swedish media face worrying challenges. The Swedish section of RSF detailed these obstacles ahead of the 13 September general elections in a survey of 25 journalists with permanent employment working primarily in local and regional outlets across different parts of Sweden. 

The clearest finding concerns transparency in the public sector. Eighty per cent of journalists interviewed say authorities and other public bodies have become less open than they were five years ago. In the past year, 84% of these journalists experienced an authority figure making it more difficult to access documents or information. The journalists describe documents being redacted, delays in accessing information and high fees for obtaining documents. They also reported that politicians and public officials have avoided interviews, or referred journalists to communications officers instead. For example, Tina Enström, reporter and head of investigations at Östgöta Correspondenten, finds that politicians and civil servants are increasingly reluctant to agree to face-to-face interviews. Instead, they send non-committal email replies. After publication, the people contacted for comment often claim the reporter has misunderstood or omitted parts of the story, even though they were offered an interview, sent questions and sometimes even allowed to read parts of the article.

 

Everyday threats and harassment 

The report also shows that threats and harassment are part of everyday working life for many local journalists. Sixteen out of 25 (64%) say they have been subjected to these abuses over the past year, ranging from threatening emails and phone calls to public shaming, legal threats and serious physical confrontations.

One reporter in southern Sweden recounted how he was on his way to report on a roadblock set up by neo-Nazis, who were stopping and checking cars. When he arrived at his destination, he was sitting in his car with a colleague when three neo-Nazis armed with axes came after them. When the reporter returned home later that day, he found a note that read, “We know where you live,” attached to his front door with a knife. Following the incident, the reporter’s personal information was granted special protection for five years. On another occasion, a man entered the journalist’s newsroom carrying a loaded pistol and asked to speak with the reporter. 

In another case, an opinion editor in the north of Sweden recalled a campaign against her by unknown individuals in which posters featuring her photo and the text, “Typical fucking bitch” were posted on noticeboards around the town where she is based. The incident contributed to her taking sick leave for a while. 

At the same time, many journalists described strong support from colleagues, managers and editors-in-chief. Most of them say their willingness to keep reporting is not affected and they continue to publish despite pressure.

Many are concerned about the future. Sixteen out of 25 (64%) believe that press freedom has declined over the past five years and 15 out of 25 (60%) expect it to continue deteriorating. Disinformation and propaganda are among the threats to press freedom that journalists ranked highest, alongside political interference, restrictive legislation and the threat of lawsuits. 

Key findings from the report

80% of journalists say that authorities and public bodies have become less open than they were five years ago.
84% have experienced an authority making it more difficult to access documents or information during the past year.
64% say they have been subjected to threats or harassment during the past year.
64% believe press freedom has deteriorated over the past five years.
60% expect press freedom to continue deteriorating over the next five years.

Recommendations to the next government

The report presents five recommendations: 

1)Ensure access to public-interest information is effective

The principle of public access must also function in everyday practice. Public and local authorities must not be allowed to hinder scrutiny through slow processing, unjustified confidentiality assessments, or fees that make large requests for documents unreasonably expensive. The government should strengthen awareness of the principle of public access to official records within central and local government. Civil servants and politicians need regular training on the fact that transparency is a democratic right and a central part of their remit. Elected representatives also have a responsibility. While criticism of the media and journalism is a natural part of an open society, politicians should refrain from undermining the profession of journalism, fueling mistrust in the press or using their position to launch smear campaigns against individual reporters and editorial teams. 

2) Strengthen Sweden’s resilience in the information war

Sweden’s information space is increasingly compromised. Foreign powers and other actors are using disinformation, fake accounts and manipulated content to sow mistrust and division. Generative AI makes it possible to produce such material more quickly and on a significantly larger scale. Journalists and the media are recurring targets of online attacks, which are often directed at individual reporters but have far-reaching consequences as trust in independent journalism is undermined. Sweden’s government should press for greater transparency within the EU regarding how the algorithms and recommendation systems of major online platforms operate, and for the effective implementation of the Digital Services Act. Disinformation and harassment campaigns and co-ordinated influence operations must be detected and dealt with more quickly. At the same time, measures against disinformation must be designed in such a way that they safeguard freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

3) Support the Journalism Trust Initiative(JTI) 

Swedish media organisations should be encouraged to join the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), which was developed by RSF. It is an international standard for transparency and editorial ethics in newsrooms. To obtain this certification, media organisations must publicly demonstrate how they fulfil their journalistic responsibilities, safeguard their independence and disclose information about their funding. In an information landscape where propaganda and AI-generated content spread rapidly, it is important to be able to distinguish content created by reliable reporters from bots and.

4) Strengthen media subsidies with a focus on local journalism

Media subsidies should be increased. At a time when local newsrooms are disappearing and AI-generated websites can imitate local news reporting, there is a great need for financial support for genuine journalism: reporters on the ground, accountable publishing and scrutiny of those in power.

5) Increase investment in public media

Public service broadcasting is a central part of Sweden’s democratic infrastructure. Sveriges Television (SVT), Sveriges Radio (SR) and Sveriges Utbildningsradio (UR) reach people throughout the country, provide local and regional news coverage and serve as a source of information during crises. When private local media are under financial pressure, public broadcasting plays an important complementary role. While these outlets should be held to account, they should not be weakened by politicised attacks.