Negotiations between Norway’s national commercial television channel TV2 and cable TV company Get broke down during the long holiday weekend, with each side blaming the other when viewers suddenly lost access to TV2 and its other channels including TV2 Zebra, and news station TV2 Nyhetskanalen. “We received an offer from Telia (which owns Get) 20 […]
Norway mourns its ‘man in the moon’
May 4, 2020
Norwegians were mourning the death over the weekend of Erik Tandberg, an air force officer and rocket science engineer who explained the developing space age to generations. He was 87. Tandberg was hailed not just for his immense knowledge of all kinds of space matters, but also for his unusual skills in sharing what he […]
Conflict blacks out cable TV channels
March 3, 2020
Around a million Norwegians lost their cable access to television channels TVNorge, MAX, Fem and Eurosport on Tuesday. There’s no technical trouble, only quarreling between Discovery, which owns the channels, and Telia, which owns Norway’s Get cable service. Get delivers the channels from Discovery, which has been negotiating a new distribution agreement. Telia and Discovery […]
Media struggle with shipowner’s suicide
March 2, 2020
NEWS ANALYSIS: The death last week of Norwegian shipowner Wilhelm Wilhelmsen continues to stir interest, not least after it became known that he took his own life. Norwegian media outlets have a long tradition of not reporting suicides, however, and have thus remained mostly mum even as questions swirl about what will happen to the […]
MGP winner keeps her eye on the prize
February 16, 2020
Amidst all the turmoil, anger and scandal following state broadcaster NRK’s voting system breakdown at the MGP national song contest Saturday night, Ulrikke Brandstorp claims she’s still thrilled that she was named as the winner. She thinks all the fuss will further motivate her when she represents Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest in May. […]
Scandal envelopes Eurovision run-up
February 16, 2020
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) named a winner Saturday night to represent Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest this spring, but her victory was bittersweet. A “scandalous” breakdown of NRK’s system for voting by the public meant that a back-up jury of just 30 people chose Norway’s four finalists, and voting for them was only available through […]
New book exposes media’s Nazi past
October 4, 2019
Norwegian historians and newspaper officials have downplayed the role of the Norwegian press in spreading anti-Semitism both before, during and after World War II, claims the author of a new book provocatively entitled Det Norske Jødehatet (The Norwegian Hatred of Jews). The current editor of Norway’s biggest newspaper, Aftenposten, agrees, and has responded with a […]
Suddenly, a string of business woes
September 25, 2019
NEWS ANALYSIS: A huge surprise loss at Norway’s biggest bank, a bankruptcy that set off massive inconvenience, layoffs at major Norwegian companies, calls to rein in the oil industry and new concerns over debt and and high housing prices are just some of the bulletins suddenly jarring the perception of a strong Norwegian economy. Even […]
Newspaper scolded over Giske coverage
August 28, 2019
One of Norway’s largest national newspapers, VG, was declared guilty Wednesday on five counts of breaking ethical standards set by the National Press Federation (Norsk Presseforbund). VG itself had pleaded guilty to two counts in its coverage of how Labour Party politician Trond Giske was photographed dancing late at night with a young woman in […]
‘Arendalsuka wastes taxpayers’ money’
August 12, 2019
Top politicians, state officials, journalists and not least lobbyists are gathering in the scenic coastal town of Arendal again this week, to see and be seen, and debate major issues of the day. The head of Norway’s Center Party, who normally promotes ventures outside of Oslo, calls it all “a huge waste of taxpayers’ money.” […]
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