Nearly every other krona of government media subsidies goes to newspaper companies in which Bonnier is the owner or a part-owner —while the group reports profits in the billions, distributes hundreds of millions to its owners, and has expanded its dominance of the local press from 36 municipalities to 129. Investigations show that the system favors an already powerful player, while profitable newspapers such as Svenska Dagbladet are denied support and there is no public debate on the concentration of ownership.
State media subsidies are intended to promote independent news reporting and diversity. In practice, however, the system has evolved into one in which a single family of owners—the Bonnier family—siphons off nearly half of the funds.
An investigation by *Journalisten* shows that newspaper companies in which Bonnier is the owner or a part-owner received approximately 395 million kronor in 2025. This amounts to nearly 48 percent of media subsidies, excluding distribution subsidies. Wholly owned titles, including the free newspapers in the Mitt i chain, received 273 million. Gota Media and Erna Media, in which Bonnier is a partner, received 64 million and 58 million, respectively. Other estimates put the figure at approximately 46 percent when NWT is also included.
Millions in aid while posting record profits
At the same time, the group is running like a well-oiled machine. Bonnier News reported a record profit of 1,080 million kronor in 2025. The Bonnier News Local business unit, which includes the local newspapers, increased its profit from 75 to 261 million.
The Bonnier Group distributed 459 million kronor to its owners. So this is not a case of loss-making newspapers being kept afloat with taxpayer money. It is an already strong player that both receives support and pays out dividends.
Covers half of Sweden's local newspapers
The concentration of ownership has progressed rapidly. In 2000, Bonnier was the dominant newspaper owner in 36 municipalities. Today, that number stands at 129—nearly 45 percent of the country’s municipalities. The media researcher Jonas Ohlsson calls it historically unique: having once owned almost no local newspapers at all, the company now controls half of Sweden’s local newspaper market. Bonnier also owns stakes in both Gota Media and NWT, which in turn have ties back to Bonnier News Local.
– From having owned almost no local newspapers at all, the company now owns half of Sweden’s local newspapers. Such a concentration of titles in the hands of a single owner is unprecedented in Swedish history, Ohlsson tells *Journalisten*.
The difference compared to other media outlets is clear. The editor-in-chief of Svenska Dagbladet Lisa Irenius has pointed out that SvD was denied funding precisely because the newspaper is profitable, while Bonnier’s local newspapers receive large sums even though they are turning a profit. DN’s editor-in-chief Peter Wolodarski In 2023, he said that the newspaper had declined funding in order to strengthen its independence from the political system. Today, he heads the business unit that includes Bonnier News Local, and Expressen has also sought funding.
Jan Scherman: ”Alarming”
Former TV4 Executive Jan Scherman calls it both alarming and extremely strange that there is hardly any debate about media ownership. Bonnier itself says that it has saved struggling local newspapers and that greater resources make it possible to maintain local journalism.
– I find it both alarming and extremely strange that we in Sweden aren’t having a discussion about media ownership, ", Scherman tells *Journalisten*.
Pia Rehnquist of Bonnier News Local has acknowledged that it might seem jarring. The question remains, however: when nearly every other krona of public funding goes to a conglomerate that already dominates the market, reports billions in profits, and distributes money to its owners—what kind of diversity are taxpayers actually financing?
Since its inception, Frihetsnytt has repeatedly reported on the significant threat to democracy and freedom of speech posed by the Bonnier family. Among other things, we have produced the video below, which examines the Bonnier family’s unique position in the media market.
Bonnier, GREED is one of the seven deadly sins.
You don't need media support.
It's just disgusting how Bonnier Media, which is profitable, still rakes in all those millions in subsidies—it's because they don't hold those in power to account but instead support them wholeheartedly, and because greed is in their genes.