Bonnier News reports a record profit for 2025 – over one billion SEK. At the same time, the media conglomerate receives hundreds of millions of kronor in tax-funded grants every year. Lisa Irenius, editor-in-chief at rival Svenska Dagbladet, is critical of these subsidy-driven profits and advocates for lower taxes instead of million-kronor grants.
– We advocate for zero VAT, she tells Samnytt.

1,080 million SEK. Over one billion kronor. That was the profit Bonnier News made last year, according to a press release from last week.

This is the largest profit ever for the media group, and an increase of almost a quarter of a billion compared to the previous year.

Hundreds of Millions in Grants

While Bonnier News reports billion-kronor profits, the group’s local newspapers receive hundreds of millions in support. 38 Bonnier-owned local newspapers shared almost 230 million SEK in media support last year.

It’s not just the parent company Bonnier News showing profits. The local newspapers, under the name Bonnier News Local, reported a massive profit of 261 million SEK last year. This is a sharp increase compared to 2024, when the same business area reported a profit of 75 million.

One person critical of Bonnier’s newspapers receiving so much in subsidies is Lisa Irenius, editor-in-chief of Svenska Dagbladet (SvD). Until a few years ago, SvD topped the list of newspapers receiving the most press support, as it was then called.

A new system for media support came into effect in January 2024. And under the new system, SvD is not eligible for the new editorial support, as it is now known.

– Bonniers’ local newspapers receive a lot of media support, even though they are profitable. But Svenska Dagbladet has not been granted media support, with the reasoning that we are profitable, Lisa Irenius tells Samnytt, and continues:

– That raised the question of how that makes sense and that we feel it’s unclear for national newspapers what is really required to be considered in need of support.

Scrapping VAT Instead of Grants

Lisa Irenius believes that media support is needed to “accelerate the digital transformation” and to make necessary investments. She does not think it is wrong for newspapers making a profit to also receive subsidies.

– Newspapers always strive to be profitable. I don’t think it is reasonable that it disqualifies you from receiving media support. Of course, you want newspapers to have a sustainable model, she says.

At the same time, she finds it odd that some newspapers are denied support because they are profitable, while a media group like Bonnier News receives hundreds of millions in grants, despite record profits.

That is why the editor-in-chief suggests a different system instead of the current media support.

– We advocate zero VAT. It is a model that would be the same for everyone and much fairer. It would above all be more predictable, she says.

As a supplement or replacement for the current system?

– I think there are varying opinions on that. I think it could serve as a replacement for the current support. Of course, you could also consider it as a supplement.

So, rather lower taxes than grants?

– Yes, that’s one way to put it.

Media Support to Bonnier’s Local Newspapers 2025