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‘Reduce sponsorship of public broadcasting’

The commission examining the future of public broadcasting in Sweden has proposed a drastic reduction in outside sponsorship, according to a report submitted to the Minister of Culture Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth on Monday.

'Reduce sponsorship of public broadcasting'

“Sponsorship is a direct exception from the advertising prohibition [on public broadcasting] and restraint is required. The current scope of sponsorship is too large. During 2007, there were 50 sponsored events and 400 broadcasts which had sponsors’ signs. It’s important that the possibility for sponsorship exists for large athletic events, for example,” said commission head Rose-Marie Frebran of the Christian Democrats.

“I propose a maximum of 20 sponsored sporting events per year, which is less than half the number today.”

The report, entitled “Continuity and Change”, also proposes that Sweden’s three main public broadcasting entities, Sveriges Television, Sveriges Radio, and Utbildningsradio, the public broadcasting educational programming division, continue to function as before.

The three bodies should also continue to be financed through a fee, finds the report, although the fee is to now be called a public service broadcasting fee rather than a TV-licence fee.

A reason why the fee will remain in place and not replaced by a tax financed system is that a 25 percent value added tax (VAT) ought to be added to the fee to allow the companies to be more effective from an economic perspective.

“The fee won’t be more expensive for viewers,” said Frebran in a statement.

Plans call for the VAT to be added to a lower base fee, keeping the new fee in line with the current fee of 2032 kronor ($340) per year.

However, by allowing the public broadcasters to deduct VAT income from the VAT they pay to external production companies, the new system will make it easier to purchase externally-produced programmes.

However, Sweden’s public broadcasters should also produce more genres, but work to ensure to programmes are of high quality, according to the report.

The report also called for the elimination of a rule which stipulates that at least 55 percent of public programming production take place outside of Stockholm. Such a detailed level of regulation isn’t appropriate, and the companies would be better served by choosing themselves how they wish to reflect the country, according to the commission’s report.

The report will underlie preparation for the upcoming renewal of the public service broadcasters permits for 2010 to 2015.

CULTURE

Daddy cool: Swedish dads go viral as boy band

Five Swedish fathers singing capella pop songs while taking care of their young children have taken social media by storm, with their videos garnering tens of millions of views.

Daddy cool: Swedish dads go viral as boy band

The five men, all in their 30s, film their “Dad Harmony” sessions while hanging out with their kids at home in the northern town of Skellefteå.

“This story all started at my bachelor party” in the summer of 2022, Peter Widmark, a 33-year-old who works in sales, told AFP in an interview. “We were hanging out and singing as we usually do when we hang out… (and) my brother filmed it and put it on TikTok with his seven followers.”

The next morning the dads discovered the video had been viewed 40,000 times. The number had skyrocketed to 20 million hits worldwide within a few weeks.

The five friends decided to start posting videos regularly, shot in their kitchens or on their sofas, often holding their little ones on their laps.

Singing the chorus of Leonard Cohen’s classic “Hallelujah”, one of the dads can be seen holding his weeks-old newborn in his arms.

“It’s a soothing thing when we sing,” Widmark said, explaining why the children are usually so calm in the videos.

‘Typical Swedish guys’

“We are typical Swedish guys,” said Widmark’s brother Tomas, who is also part of the group, adding it was “not that unusual” for men in Sweden to spend a lot of time with their children.

“Almost every guy in Sweden is used to taking paternity leave so it’s not a big deal for us,” he added.

Each of the dads has two kids.

Dad Harmony’s repertoire includes hits by Michael Jackson, the Beatles and popular Christmas songs.

Since the end of November the group has been on a month-long tour criss-crossing Sweden to perform live shows each weekend – albeit without their kids.

During the weeks, they go back to Skellefteå and continue to work at their normal jobs and spend time with their families.

The members of Dad Harmony in an interview with AFP. Photo: Viken Kantarci/AFP

“I just stumbled on their video on Instagram and I was mesmerised,” said Louise Elgström, a 41-year-old fan who attended a recent show in the town of Norrköping.

She said their appeal lies in the fact that “they feel so natural and also (that they are) involving their children”.

The dads vow their success won’t go to their heads. “No televisions flying from the hotel rooms!” joked band member Sebastian Åkesson.

But the group has big dreams: they hope to line up tour dates in the United States and Asia, and say they would love to sing with Elton John one day.

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