News that TV2, Norway’s largest commercial nationwide television station, plans to cut another 177 editorial workers in its news division has heightened concerns about media diversity “and even democracy” in the country, writes newspaper Dagsavisen.
TV2, faced like so many media outlets with a sharp decline in advertising revenues, is in crisis. It reported late last week that it needs to cut NOK 350 million and will thus slash staffing in its news and programming divisions.
Dagsavisen reported how TV2 has been a “highly central player” in Norwegian society since it started up in the early 1990s and challenged the dominance of state-funded broadcaster NRK. Now it’s threatening major layoffs and possibly the closure of its co-headquarters offices in Bergen, unless the state eases requirements tied to its concession.
Most all Norwegian newspapers are also entrenched in new rounds of job cuts, with newspaper Aftenposten threatening layoffs unless more staffers volunteer to quit. Newspaper VG is also in the process of cutting 40 jobs.
newsinenglish.no staff
