Anne Lagercrantz is set to succeed Hanna Stjärne as CEO of Sweden’s publicly funded SVT. Her stated goal is for the national broadcaster to serve as “a constructive and reassuring force at the heart of Swedish everyday life”.
Stjärne, who has led SVT since 2015, will be replaced on November 1 by deputy CEO Anne Lagercrantz. Described as “one of Sweden’s most distinguished media leaders”, Lagercrantz has previously managed TV4 News, SR’s Ekot newsroom, and served as SVT’s head of news and sports.
– SVT is all of Sweden’s television, holding a unique position in both trust and reach among the public. Therefore, the very best media leader should be at its helm, stated SVT Chairperson Christina Björklund in a message to the broadcaster’s own channel.
Lagercrantz is further characterized as “attuned to the audience’s evolving media habits”, “a bold journalistic leader”, and “an inspiring manager with an exceptionally strong communication ability” – qualities cited as making her especially well-suited to lead the so-called “public service” company.
“A solemn task”
– SVT should be a constructive and reassuring force at the heart of Swedish daily life. It is a large and solemn responsibility. SVT should be available to everyone. It will be my role, together with the staff, to ensure that SVT continues to earn the public’s time and trust. I take on this role as CEO of SVT with humility and joy; it is the most meaningful work I can imagine, Lagercrantz herself states.
One major challenge for SVT, as for other TV networks, has been the significant loss of younger viewers who are increasingly drawn to YouTube, TikTok, and various streaming services instead.
– We’re quite a few in my generation who grew up with SVT as a given. But that’s not the case for young people today, and we need to understand the younger audience to create that connection – it’s urgent that we try to win over young viewers, she says.
Although SVT claims to support equality and gender balance, it’s worth noting that throughout the 2000s, it has consistently appointed only women as CEOs. In addition to Stjärne and Lagercrantz, Eva Hamilton, Christina Jutterström, and Maria Curman have all held this prestigious role since the turn of the millennium.