Oslo, Norway – Zetland, the Danish membership-driven news publication, is expanding its unique model to Norway with the launch of Demo, slated to go live later this year. The move follows a successful, though more challenging than anticipated, crowdfunding campaign and builds on Zetland’s expansion into Finland with Uusi Juttu, which now boasts over 18,000 paying members.
Founded in 2012, Zetland distinguishes itself by publishing a limited number of in-depth, explanatory stories daily, alongside a morning news brief and a daily news overview called “Helikopter.” All articles are available in both text and audio formats, a core element of its appeal. As of September 2025, Zetland had surpassed 50,000 subscribers, a figure that has grown from over 18,000 in November 2020.
The impetus for Demo stemmed from a meeting between Jakob Moll, Zetland’s co-founder and international director and Ingrid Tinmannsvik, a co-founder of Demo, at a conference in August 2024. “We talked about possibilities in Norway and realised almost immediately that our thinking and values very much overlapped,” Moll explained. The success of Uusi Juttu in Finland further solidified the decision to expand northward.
However, the crowdfunding campaign for Demo did not mirror the success of Uusi Juttu’s launch. While Demo reached its goal of 5,000 members, it did so just before the campaign’s conclusion. Moll attributes this to the more saturated journalism market in Norway compared to Finland. “It is also a challenge to reach people and create awareness,” he said. “We were able to use social media to reach the younger half of the Norwegian population, but we had much greater success in Finland in connecting with people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s.” He noted that older demographics typically have more disposable income and a longer history of supporting journalism.
To address this, Zetland partnered with Amedia, a major Norwegian media group, to run an advertising campaign targeting the older demographic. This was a departure from the Finland launch, where Zetland received significant attention from legacy media outlets.
Zetland’s expansion strategy centers on two core goals: contributing to the quality of democratic discourse and building financially sustainable membership businesses. Moll believes Demo offers a distinct alternative to existing Norwegian publishers, which he characterizes as “surprisingly tabloidy” and overly focused on opinion. “Norwegian newspapers have been digitally innovative, but in other ways they are quite traditional,” he stated.
Looking ahead, Zetland’s focus is shifting to Germany, with the first team members already hired. The company also plans to launch in a “polarised European country” this year, a promise made to its members during its annual ambassador campaign, which recruits existing members to attract recent ones. Moll hinted at Sweden as a potential future market, noting that members have observed Zetland “surrounding” the country.
Zetland’s approach to expansion differs significantly from traditional media franchising. While Zetland shares a mission and technology platform with its offshoots, each publisher operates independently, both editorially and strategically, despite Zetland holding a majority ownership stake. “We just don’t believe in that model,” Moll said. “News publishers are cultural products that exist in a society, in a moment of time, and need to truly reflect that context.”
A key element of Zetland’s strategy is prioritizing the individuals behind the new publications, fostering trust through personal connection rather than institutional branding. Moll believes younger audiences are less likely to trust institutions but may connect with individuals who articulate a meaningful purpose. He draws inspiration from the trust-building practices of creators on YouTube, who are transparent about their processes and motivations.
Moll also identified a “style crisis” in journalism, arguing that legacy media often fails to articulate the value of their work or engage in two-way communication with their audiences. He emphasized the importance of asking open questions and listening to understand how journalism can create meaning in people’s lives. He pointed to Wikipedia as an inspiration for Zetland’s campaigning style, noting its visibility during recruitment periods followed by a lower profile for the rest of the year.
Zetland’s next crowdfunding campaign, for the German launch, is currently in preparation, with a launch date dependent on market reaction later this year.