Similar media systems, different self-regulation: A closer look at the Nordic media accountability models

This chapter reviews existing media accountability systems in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, and probes how current self-regulatory practices fit the idea of a homogeneous Nordic media welfare state model. This conception implies that Nordic institutions – including users, companies, regulators, and the state – would react to the emerging changes in the digital environment along largely uniform lines. However, a closer look at the systems of self-regulation in the Nordic countries reveals differences between their respective ethical frameworks, which in turn affect how they face perceived challenges of globalisation, digitalisation, and marketisation. Despite several historical commonalities, the Nordic self-regulatory bodies do not necessarily demonstrate a common developmental pattern in the digital era. The implications uncovered in this appraisal thus offer insights into comparative research on media systems in general and the Nordic media welfare state in particular.