Maija Runcis

Bengt Sandin

This look into the transformation of the Swedish welfare state in the 20th century through changes in the structure and content of Swedish educational broadcasting provides new insights into how media education fostered political and social change and reflected the changes of government policies as well as the fundamental cultural transformation of the Swedish society. The political authorities formulated general ambitions for broadcast media's role in society as a public service system that could affect the views and construe the understanding of citizenship, equality, childcare, children's role in society, environmental issues, democracy, and everyday politics. This study explores how educational broadcasting was negotiated between parties with varying agendas to become both a voice for progressive change and for established interests.

Educational Broadcasting in Sweden 1930-2000

Neither Fish nor Fowl

Educational media has been a contested arena in the creation and communication of the Swedish welfare system - it was an important instrument of modernization. In Neither Fish nor Fowl historians Bengt Sandin and Maija Runcis have a close look on how the educational broadcasting was negotiated between government agencies, public inquiries, political and professional interests. The state authorities, civil society organizations, educators and journalists had strong opinions about the role of educational broadcast media that reflected a desire to form the future. Educational programmes were also part of a public service system which increasingly emphasized its independence from state control. But was broadcast education to be a part of public service, a government agency or something else - a red herring? This study provides insights into the struggle over the role of educational media and the political communication in the welfare state.

Maija Runcis

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