PUBLIKEN OCH PUBLIC SERVICE: HUR SVENSKA MEDIEKONSUMENTER UPPFATTAR OBEROENDE OCH TROVÄRDIGHET. En kvalitativ intervjustudie av publikens upplevelser av public service

Sammanfattning

Public service media are widely regarded as a cornerstone of democratic communication, providing citizens with access to reliable, independent and universally available information. In Sweden, institutions such as Sveriges Television (SVT) and Sveriges Radio (SR) continue to enjoy comparatively high levels of public trust. At the same time, public service media operate in a media environment marked by a rapid digitalisation, increased competition and growing political scrutiny. Questions concerning independence, credibility and legitimacy have therefore become increasingly salient, both in public debate and in academic research. Although public service media have been extensively studied in Sweden, much of the existing research has focused on institutional arrangements, regulatory frameworks and normative democratic functions. Large-scale surveys consistently show high levels of trust in public service, yet these measures provide limited insight to how such trust is formed, sustained or challenged in everyday life. In particular, there is a lack of audience-centered research that examines how media users themselves interpret public service independence and credibility in relation to their own media practices, needs and experiences. This study addresses this gap by adopting a qualitative, audience-oriented perspective. Rather than treating trust as a stable attitude or a purely institutional attribute, the study approaches independence and credibility as perceptions that are continuously shaped through everyday media use. By focusing on how Swedish media consumers reason about public service in their daily lives, the study seeks to deepen the understanding of the processes through which trust is constructed, negotiated and, at times, questioned in a rapidly changing media landscape. The aim of the study is therefore to examine how Swedish media consumers perceive and reason about the independence and credibility of public service media, and how these perceptions relate to their everyday media needs and practices. The study is guided by two research questions: 1) How do Swedish media consumers perceive public service media organisations independence and credibility? and 2) What needs do media consumers experience that public service fulfils in their everyday lives, and how do these needs relate to their perceptions of independence and credibility? The study adopts a qualitative and inductive methodological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with Swedish media consumers of different ages, backgrounds and media habits. This method was chosen in order to capture nuanced reasoning, interpretations, and meaning-making processes that cannot be accessed through standardised surveys. The analysis is based on a thematic approach, allowing patterns and recurring themes in the interview material to emerge. The study is theoretically grounded in a combination of media trust studies and the Uses and Gratifications theory. The media trust perspective provides tools for analyzing perceptions of credibility, independence, intentions and professional competence, while Uses and Gratifications theory help explain why audiences actively choose public service media and how different needs shape media use. The empirical results show that public service media play a central role in respondent´s everyday media use, although patterns of use differ clearly between generations. Older respondents tend to use SVT and SR frequently and as a part of their daily routine, often at fixed times during the day. For these groups, public service serves as a stable and familiar source of information, which contributes to a strong and largely unquestioned sense of trust. Younger respondents, in contrast, move within a more fragmented media environment where public service competes with social media and more commercial news outlets. Their use of public service is more selective and situations based, and their trust is more conditional and reflective. In terms of credibility, public service is generally seen as the most trustworthy news source. Trust is mainly based on perceptions of journalistic professionalism, factual reporting and the absence of commercial interests. Respondents often refer to public service´s democratic mission and institutional framework as reasons for this credibility. Public service is also described to be especially important during major social events or crises, when the need for reliable and comprehensive information increases. Perceptions of independence are more mixed. Independence is commonly understood as neutrality, objectivity and freedom from political influence. While many of respondents express confidence in public service's intentions and professional standards, others raise concerns about perceived political bias, often described as a “left-leaning” tendency. Such criticism is particularly strong in relation to controversial political issues. Several respondents also point out that complete objectivity is difficult to achieve, noting that personal values and worldviews influence how media content is interpreted. Overall, the results suggest that perceived independence is more fragile and debated than credibility, and that it is continuously negotiated by audiences. The second question shows that public service meets several needs in the respondent's everyday lives. These include informational needs for knowledge and overview, social needs related to shared reference points and participation in public discussion, and emotional needs such as routine, stability and reassurance. Public service is often compared with social media, which is associated with fragmented information, misinformation and algorithmic influence. The lack of advertisement is highlighted as an important factor that strengthens perceptions of independence. At the same time, respondents emphasise that trust is conditional. When content is seen as lacking social relevance or moving away from the public service mission, particularly in entertainment programming, questions arise about legitimacy and the use of public funding. In conclusion, the study shows that trust in public service media should not be understood as fixed or uniform. Instead, trust is a relational and changing process shaped by the interaction between individual needs, media use, institutional conditions and wider social and political contexts. Public service is widely viewed as credible and socially important, but perceptions of independence are continuously tested and renegotiated. By focusing on the audience perspective, the study adds to existing research by showing how trust in public service is formed and maintained in everyday life, and by highlighting the importance of audience experiences for the continued legitimacy of public service in a changing media landscape.