In an era when culture itself has become central to political debates, when boundaries between hard news and soft news, facts and opinion are dissolving, cultural journalism contributes to democratic discourse on vital issues of our time. Cultural journalism is furthermore indicative of journalistic autonomy and specialisation within media organisations, and of the intertwined relationship between the cultural and political public spheres. Nordic cultural journalism in the mainstream media covers more subjects today than ever before, from fine arts to gaming, media industries, and lifestyle issues. At the same time, it harbours debates and reflection on freedom of expression, ethnicity and national identity. This book contributes to an emerging international research agenda on cultural journalism at a time when digitalisation, convergence and globalisation are influencing the character of journalism in multiple ways.

“Cultural journalism matters, and it matters differently by location. This nuanced and thoughtful portrayal of cultural journalism in the Nordic countries performs a double elevation of what has been missing for too long from journalism’s discussion: its stylistic and geographic variety. This book offers a strong set of studies that highlight what cultural journalism in the Nordic countries forces us to consider about all journalism everywhere.”

Barbie Zelizer, Raymond Williams Professor of Communication, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania