Instead of going on its own assumptions, this publication for foreign residents asked readers to shape their election coverage - and the responses changed everything
Emma Löfgren recalled running a workshop for a major Swedish newsroom and asking what their readers actually wanted from them.
"There was just complete silence. Like they had no idea," says Löfgren, who works both as a media consultant, and as the editor and deputy managing editor for The Local Sweden, a news publication aimed at foreign residents settling down to life in a new country.
It can be easy to make assumptions about what readers actually want from news providers. So when it came to the Swedish elections earlier this month (13 September 2026), she wanted to make sure the title's coverage reflected the needs of its audience.
So she ran an open reader survey — nothing scientific, response rates ranging from a few dozen to several hundred — simply asking what people wanted covered and what they needed help understanding. The answers shaped everything that followed.
In terms of topics, immigration topped the list (not surprising given its audience), followed by economy, cost of living and taxes. Healthcare, climate, crime and schools trailed behind – a useful signal of what to prioritise post-election.
