It was at the end of October that SVT's program commissioner Helena Olsson and media director Jan Helin in a debate article in Dagens Nyheter announced that SVT's 22 news should start broadcasting in SVT1 and start with local news followed by the late Report.

But the decision was met by sharp criticism and an extensive media debate. Not least by TV4 CEO Casten Almqvist, who said that the decision contravenes the conditions of the public service companies where it is stated, among other things, that SVT and SR must take into account competing news media to promote a variety of perspectives.

- In my eyes, it is tone deaf. That is exactly the opposite of what you promised in the broadcasting state. In my world it is a declaration of war on news, Casten Almqvist told Jan Helin in the SVT program Window against the media world, in connection with this.

Jan Helin: Withdraws the plans

Now SVT reverses the tablecloth and withdraws the plans to put the local news at 22.00 in SVT1. In a statement, SVT Media Director Jan Helin writes that they will now investigate how the local news can be redirected without interfering with TV4's news broadcasts. For the time being, they will thus continue to broadcast the local news in Aktuellt in SVT2.

“Our ambition has never been to counter TV4, but to strengthen our local news delivery to the audience. It will be our focus also in the continued work, as well as continued listening and participation in the discussion on media development, ”writes Jan Helin, and continues.

“Before 2021, for technical and cost reasons, SVT will need to collect all local broadcasts in SVT1. We are now continuing our work to find another solution that will be good for both the public and the media landscape as a whole ”.

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