Amy Watson
Research expert covering news and publishing
Newspapers in Scandinavia - statistics & facts
When Scandinavia’s oldest newspaper, Post-och Inrikes Tigningar, became a web-only application back in 2017, the fate of the region’s newspaper industry appeared to be sealed. In recent years, readers across Scandinavia and many other global markets have gradually shifted away from traditional print media, and newspapers were the most affected format. Even the most highly regarded newspapers in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway are losing subscribers by the year, causing the industry to switch to digital platforms to retain readers and maintain relevance in a world of constant online news updates.
Looking at how Scandinavians stay informed online, whilst paying for news via a subscription is not yet commonplace among the majority of the public, Norwegians and Swedes are the most likely to pay for digital news content worldwide. This is a good sign for struggling print papers looking to make the move online or for existing online papers seeking to generate revenue via paid subscriptions. Around 30 to 40 percent of Norwegians and Swedes paid for online news content in the last year, substantially more than in the U.S. or nearby Denmark. For publications seeking to grow their profit via subscription sign-ups, Norway and Sweden are two key markets to target.
Trends in the Scandinavian newspaper landscape
Several common threads run through the Scandinavian newspaper ecosystem in terms of financial figures and consumer behavior. For one, revenues of the newspaper industry in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark have all decreased steadily over the past few years – not unlike in other markets. At the same time, the revenue of digital newspapers in Norway, for example, has more than doubled since the early 2010s, highlighting the ongoing shift toward online news consumption. Staying up to date with the latest developments from around the world is now easier than ever, and thanks to 24-hour news cycles and social media platforms, print editions are losing their appeal more noticeably each year. Data shows that between 2015 and 2023, the estimated share of online newspaper subscribers in Norway jumped from 12 to more than 40 percent. Meanwhile, just over a fifth of Danes pay for newspaper subscriptions, showing room for improvement in this regard.Top newspapers and publishers
No single newspaper or publishing house holds a monopoly on the Scandinavian newspaper industry. And yet, some players are gradually expanding their footprint on the Nordic media landscape. Bonnier, for example, the leading newspaper publisher in Sweden based on revenue, publishes various magazines and business dailies across Denmark and Norway. The media group also has subsidiaries across other European markets and continues to widen its international offerings with the help of strategic mergers and acquisitions. In Denmark, three of the top daily newspapers are published by Berlingske Media, which has been in business since 1749. Meanwhile, Oslo-based conglomerate Schibsted publishes the two largest newspapers in Norway - VG (Verdens Gang) and Aftenposten Morgen.Looking at how Scandinavians stay informed online, whilst paying for news via a subscription is not yet commonplace among the majority of the public, Norwegians and Swedes are the most likely to pay for digital news content worldwide. This is a good sign for struggling print papers looking to make the move online or for existing online papers seeking to generate revenue via paid subscriptions. Around 30 to 40 percent of Norwegians and Swedes paid for online news content in the last year, substantially more than in the U.S. or nearby Denmark. For publications seeking to grow their profit via subscription sign-ups, Norway and Sweden are two key markets to target.
