Iceland

A country of fewer than 350,000 inhabitants, Iceland features an exceptionally developed media system. The country’s geographic isolation, low population density, widespread use of English, and high standard of living all influence its media landscape. These factors are responsible for the high share of American programming on television; the significant presence of party-affiliated newspapers, subsidized press, and powerful public broadcasting; and the late development of mass media as a whole. This entry first discusses the various components of Iceland’s media landscape: newspapers and magazines, radio and television broadcasting, books, film, websites, advertising, and marketing. It then looks at the legal environment in which Iceland’s media operates.