SD calls SVT chief to parliament after husband received sponsored trip

The Sweden Democrats plan to gather support in the parliamentary cultural committee to summon the leadership of SVT for questioning. The initiative is based on several issues that the party considers problematic regarding the tax-funded public service entity, including the fact that CEO Anne Lagercrantz’s husband was sponsored on a trip to the Alps to participate in a ‘holiday program.’

The state television has launched a new travel program where host Christopher Garplind takes well-known personalities to exclusive destinations.

One of those invited to the luxurious Swiss ski resort Zermatt is CEO Anne Lagercrantz’s husband, the author David Lagercrantz.

The participation of David Lagercrantz, who is married to SVT’s CEO, has raised criticism and questions about conflict of interest and how public service funds are used. Several participants, including Lagercrantz and pop singer Miriam Bryant, are multimillionaires with substantial incomes, which has intensified the debate about the costs of taxpayer-funded television.

One person who has reacted is the journalist Joakim Lamotte, who previously worked at SVT. He strongly criticizes the setup:

When I see how the company has evolved … I am ashamed on Anne Lagercrantz’s behalf. Inviting her own husband on vacation with taxpayer money … is a mockery of every Swede struggling to make ends meet.

Joakim Lamotte

SVT CEO’s husband invited on vacation to luxurious Swiss ski resort Zermatt. Image: Archive Team / SVT Play

Alexander Christiansson is the cultural policy spokesperson for the Sweden Democrats and accuses the tax-funded media giant of both nepotism and cronyism. SD demands that the state television be held accountable to its owners.

“There has been criticism regarding the CEO of SVT sending her husband on a holiday. We believe that companies need to be accountable to their owners, i.e., the taxpayers,” Christiansson told SVT.

Another reason for the SD’s actions is Kvartal’s reporting that the state television edited Donald Trump’s speech from January 6, 2021 in a manner similar to the BBC’s handling.

“It has been shown that they have actually spread disinformation in the form of how they edit news segments,” says Alexander Christiansson, cultural policy spokesperson for the Sweden Democrats, to SVT regarding the decision to summon the leadership.

But for the SVT leadership to be forced to the parliament, SD first needs support from another party in the committee.

SVT troubled by politicians “Remarkable”

The state television has commented on SD’s plan to summon the leadership to the cultural committee, and the tone is clearly troubled.

They want to emphasize that politicians cannot demand that the tax-funded public service leadership appear in parliament, as the leadership does not make editorial decisions.

Åsa Barsness is the HR and communications director at SVT, and she writes the following in a comment:

It is remarkable that a cultural policy spokesperson claims that SVT News spreads disinformation and wants to summon SVT’s leadership to the cultural committee to be accountable for a specific publication. Sweden has a review board and a media ethics system where anyone can report all our content. This applies to everyone, including politicians. Otherwise, SVT’s CEO does not make decisions about participation in any program.