Over the past decade, the role of audiovisual media in Sweden’s media landscape has undergone a profound transformation. Scheduled television, long a natural source of news and entertainment, has seen its daily reach drop from around 85 per cent in 2010 to 51 per cent in 2024. At the same time, streaming television has grown to 67 per cent, making it the most widely used format for moving images. The findings are based on data from Nordicom’s Media Barometer survey.
“It’s a clear shift in a relatively short time. Today, streaming services dominate the way we watch TV in Sweden”, says Karin Hellingwerf, media analyst at Nordicom.
YouTube is used by 47 per cent of the population on an average day, and TikTok by 18 per cent. This development reflects a shift from scheduled consumption to more flexible and personalised forms of media use.
Clear generational patterns
The analysis of different age groups revealed clear generational patterns. Among children and young people, streaming television and YouTube dominate, with TikTok holding a particularly strong position among teenagers. In the 25–44 age group, streaming television is the dominant platform, and YouTube also has a high reach. Among the oldest group, aged 65–85, scheduled television still dominates, especially SVT1 and TV4.
Younger viewers often combine several services in a single day, while older audiences tend to stick to one or two channels. The differences reflect generation-specific experiences: Younger audiences have grown up in a digital media landscape where multiple platforms interact, while older people have been shaped by a more traditional media structure.
“We’re seeing a media landscape that’s becoming increasingly segmented by age. Younger audiences move seamlessly between several services, while older viewers remain loyal to established channels”, says Hellingwerf.