Right-wing alternative media users in Scandinavia: A comparative study of ideological attitudes and (dis)trust

Abstract The emergence of right-wing alternative media has raised concerns about the diffusion of radical ideas among citizens and growing distrust in the media and public institutions. Based on representative surveys in Denmark ( n = 1,958), Norway ( n = 2,009), and Sweden ( n = 1,991), we examine what characterises right-wing alternative media users in terms of political attitudes and political, media, and social trust. The analysis reveals that right-wing alternative media users in Scandinavia tend to affiliate with far-right parties, support far-right ideas, and express lower levels of trust in political institutions, traditional media, and unknown others. Among these, support for far-right ideas and a lack of trust in traditional media are the most important characteristics. While support for far-right ideas characterises right-wing alternative media users in all three countries, low trust in traditional media is a more important characteristic in Norway and Sweden than in Denmark. The study advances knowledge of the role of ideology vis-à-vis various forms of (dis)trust among right-wing alternative media users, showing that while alternative media use across the Scandinavian countries displays a set of similarities, such use is also formed by national context.