ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the regulatory environment underpinning the media industry in the Nordic countries. The focus is specifically on the ‘bigger picture’ of environmental regulation in Europe and how these feature in the distinct environmental policies of each of the Nordic countries. The discussion interrogates the reasons for the lack of bespoke environmental policies for the media, moving from the role of sustainable development in cultural policy to institutional responsibilities within organizations overseeing the distribution of public funding. It is suggested that a key reason for the lack of media policy relating to the environment originates from a ‘responsibility deficit’ where it is, for one thing, unclear who would be in charge of developing policy in these contexts, and second, through the argument that the Nordic countries’ global leadership in environmental sustainability and general incorporation of green principles invalidates the necessity of green media policy – the Nordic countries are sustainable as they are and media are inevitably swept along. The conclusion to this chapter sets the board for challenging this argument through evaluation of environmental protocols for different media sectors.
