The remit for public service broadcasting
The public service broadcasters Sveriges Radio AB (SR)13, Sveriges Television AB (SVT)14, and to some extent Sveriges Utbildningsradio AB (UR)15 must, among other things, offer a diverse range of programmes encompassing everything from broad interest to special-interest programmes. Programming must be characterised by high quality and innovation in form and content. A central part of the remit is that programmes, through availability and diversity, must meet varying conditions and satisfy different interests among the entire population, and that they must reflect conditions in the whole country. This concerns the geographic reflection of the country’s different regions, and the fact that the people who live in the different parts of the country are different, for example, with regard to ethnic and cultural background, gender and age.
Public service broadcasters must also pay particular attention to linguistic and ethnic minority interests in their programming. This must be a prioritised area and availability must improve. The minority languages Sami, Finnish and Meänkieli (Tornedal Finnish) and Romany Chib must assume special status. Broadcasters must have a dialogue with the groups affected.
Broadcasters report annually in public service reports on how their public service remit has been met. The Broadcasting Commission of the Swedish Broadcasting Authority reviews the reports and assesses whether the broadcasters have met their remit. The assessments of the Broadcasting Commission are reported to the Government every year. Major evaluations of activities are conducted ahead of each permit period.