Real crimes become entertainment: Why many enjoy true crime

True crime podcasts have become a dominant format in Sweden, tapping into a deep public curiosity. However, this popularity comes at a significant emotional cost to the families of victims, whose real-life tragedies are transformed into entertainment.

“

Put yourselves in it as if it were your own daughter who was murdered, would you want to listen to it?

Östen Johansson, father of Ida, who was murdered in 2015, expressed his anguish after discovering that a podcast, "Rättegångspodden," had used audio recordings from the trial detailing his daughter's murder. He described the experience as re-traumatizing, making it difficult for his family to process their grief. "We couldn't control it; it was like standing still while everything poured out," he said.

“

We couldn't control it; it was like standing still while everything poured out.

Swedish law generally upholds the principle of public access to court proceedings, allowing access to documents and recordings unless protected by secrecy. Johansson argues that while public insight is necessary, podcasts focusing on sensational details for profit exploit private tragedies. "Our family's tragedy became entertainment," he stated, advocating for the cessation of such practices out of respect for the bereaved.

“

What happened to Ida is a nightmare scenario for many; of course, the public needs information. But these kinds of podcasts are not about public interest. It's about making money on sordid details surrounding a family's tragedy.

"Rättegångspodden," now part of Podme, claims to adhere to public access rules and weigh public interest against individual impact. Moa Soltanian Magnusson, content chief at Podme, acknowledged the difficulty in defining exact criteria for these assessments, stating each case is evaluated individually. The podcast's creator, Nils Bergman, previously served as its responsible publisher.

“

Our family's tragedy became entertainment. I believe everyone who has lost someone to violence thinks this industry should cease out of respect for the survivors.