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there were a greater number of public libraries in 1966—1,824—they contained fewer volumes—19,124,540. In addition, the public libraries are supplemented by numerous school libraries. Of the total number of public libraries in 1969, 790 municipal libraries held 15,152,077 volumes, 603 study circle libraries had 578,311 books, and 24 county and regional libraries had 6,399,993 volumes. Some of the large public libraries in the cities are highly functional show places, whereas even the most isolated communities are reached by local branches or bookmobiles. Sweden also has about 24 research and specialized libraries. The major general research collections are those of the Royal Library in Stockholm, Uppsala University Library, Lund University Library, Stockholm University Library, Goteborg University Library, and Umea University Library. The libraries of the Chalmers Institute of Technology in Goteborg, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm and the Royal Caroline Medical-Surgical Institute in Stockholm, have important collections of a specialized nature.
4. Radio and television
All radio and television broadcasting in Sweden is the responsibility of the government-controlled Sveriges Radio, or Swedish Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), which is owned jointly by the press, private organizations, and commercial and industrial interests. The board of governors consists of 11 members, six appointed by the government and including the chairman, and five representing the shareholders. The board is charged by the government with insuring balanced programming, impartiality, and a sense of social and cultural responsibility. The government exercises no control over programs prior to broadcast, but the Radio Council, composed of seven members appointed by the government, is empowered to raise objections to specific programs after they have been broadcast if they violate guide lines.
There are no commercial advertisements on either radio or television, and operating revenue comes from the sale of annual licenses which are compulsory for all set users: radio owners pay a fee of SKr50 annually; a combined black and white television and radio license costs SKr180 annually; and a combined color television and radio license costs SKr280 annually. In 1970 there were 2,491,399 combined television and radio licenses and 334,062 radio licenses only. Licenses over only the one most sophisticated set owned by a family and not each set; hence, many families have more than one receiver.
Sveriges Radio operates three domestic stations, each of which is programmed for different tastes. Program 1, broadcast between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., emphasizes news, commentary, lectures, and other more serious programs. Program 2, broadcast between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m., presents educational programs during the day and serious music at night. Program 3, broadcast around the clock, features light music and entertainment interspersed with frequent headline news summaries. The SBC also operates an international service, which sends regular shortwave programs in English, German, French, Spanish, and Portuguese to listeners outside Sweden. Sveriges Radio uses 62 AM transmitters on long and medium wave, while FM service is provided by 60 FM transmitters on ultra-short wave.
Television was introduced in Sweden in 1957, and it has experienced a phenomenal rate of growth. There were 23,000 TV licenses in 1957, while in 1970 there were over 2.4 million; more than 85% of all Swedish households have TV sets. In FY68 transmission totaled 2,250 hours, averaging 43.3 hours per week. There are four TV stations in Sweden and two channels. In 1970 there was a total of 246 TV transmitters, and virtually the entire country is capable of receiving at least one of the two channels. Color broadcasting was introduced on an experimental basis in 1967, and regular color programs commenced in 1970. Swedish television is tied in with the Eurovision and Nordvision networks.
The two channels of Swedish television are meant to compete with each other except for factual news, which is provided by a common news department. Each channel, nonetheless, produces its own programs of news commentary and backgrounders on current events. Channel 1 is one the air about 40 hours per week, while Channel 2 appears about 20 hours per week. Approximately half the total transmission time is devoted to programs imported from other European countries and the United States. Figure 28 offers a comparison between radio and television broadcasting in Sweden.
5. Motion pictures
Motion pictures have considerable popularity in Sweden, although attendance has steadily declined in recent years as television has become more available. The number of motion picture theaters in 1969 was 1,527 as compared with 2,275 in 1962 and 1,996 in 1965. The number of movie-goers has decreased from 50.0 million in 1962 to 38.2 million in 1965 to 30.4 million in 1969. Each inhabitant averaged five visits to the motion pictures in 1968 as compared with three
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