Inform, educate and entertain: Nordic public service podcasts in the 2020s

This study analyses the development of Nordic public service media (PSM) organizations and their approach to audio content in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. All Nordic PSM companies are market leaders in the national radio markets and share an idea of public service as a building element of the media welfare state. Still, new competition in the digital audio market is changing the playground. Focusing on the concept of ‘public service podcast’, the article investigates the changing landscape of digital audio. Nordic PSM organizations have introduced podcast series that differ from their traditional radio offerings, targeting young audiences absent from traditional broadcast radio. This study argues that Nordic PSM’s podcast offering reflects their commitment to public service values while also competing with commercial counterparts. It also explores the question of whether PSM’s objective of reaching large audiences is still relevant or if a future of smaller, fragmented audiences awaits.