The Swedish online magazine Kvartal was founded in 2016 by several actors from the business sector who thought that Swedish media outlets were not functioning correctly. "Each time a problem of great magnitude came up," says Kvartal's editor-in-chief Jörgen Huitfeldt, "everyone seemed unprepared."
The founders convinced a network of influential people in a given discipline or sector to write well-researched articles about their field of competence.
In 2018, Huitfeldt took over as editor-in-chief; he employed six professional journalists with specific expertise and academic background. "Our promise to the audience is to offer Sweden's leading platform for serious, constructive and non-polarising conversations and discussions about society, politics, economics and culture," Huitfeldt says.
Kvartal's reporters try to cover stories and viewpoints that mainstream media overlook. At Kvartal, podcasts are just as important as written texts.
The website explains: "The mission of the Fourth Estate includes covering problems that the people experience, demanding answers from the political power, demonstrating when abuse of power or mismanagement occurs, and contributing to a debate that is constructive and moves society forward. Kvartal has arisen from a longing for community-driven journalism that lives up to this original principle."
Last updated: February 2023