Nordic public broadcasters agree closer cooperation on crisis preparedness
October 13, 2026 12.18 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Nordic public service broadcasters have agreed to strengthen cooperation on security and preparedness, including support if a broadcaster suffers serious disruption to its news distribution.

The Reykjavik Agreement brings together Iceland’s RÚV, Denmark’s DR, Norway’s NRK, Sweden’s SVT, Sveriges Radio and UR, and Finland’s Yle. Together, the organisations serve more than 28 million people across the five countries.

In a joint statement published on 12 October, the broadcasters’ leaders said cyber threats, hybrid attacks and disinformation were placing critical infrastructure and public trust under strain. Growing dependence on global digital tools and platforms was also creating vulnerabilities.

The agreement sets out three commitments: sharing knowledge about threats and disinformation, strengthening collective preparedness against cyberattacks and technical disruptions, and improving the ability to support one another during serious interruptions to news distribution.

If audiences lose access to their national news sources for technical, security-related or other extraordinary reasons, the broadcasters will seek to provide alternative access to reliable information. They will also work to enable access to verified news and public service content from neighbouring Nordic countries wherever possible.

The organisations stressed that the cooperation concerns operational preparedness, with editorial independence remaining a fundamental principle. The agreement does not give one broadcaster authority over another’s output.

“A crisis must not become an information crisis as well,” the leaders said, arguing that access to verified information is essential to informed decision-making and democratic resilience.