Newspapers in Norway
The Norwegian media landscape has changed at an ever faster rate since the
beginning of the 2000s. Above all, it is new technology in the IT sector that
has fundamentally changed media consumption and the business models that have
carried the traditional media.
A big difference compared to the other Nordic countries, however, is that the
paid daily newspaper is still strong and that Norwegian media houses from the
beginning saw the internet as an opportunity, not as a threat.
Internet and mobile telephony
More than 90% of households have access to the internet in their homes, while
the use of the internet via mobile has increased sharply from 2010. More than
half of the population is browsing the mobile (2012).
Norway's geography, with fjords and high mountains, makes it very expensive
to cover the entire country with 3G networks. 27% are covered by the 3G network
and 87% by the GSM network, but 87% of the population has 3G networks where they
live (2012).
There are three mobile operators with their own networks, Telenor, Netcom
(owned by TeliaSonera) and Network Norway (owned by Tele 2 Sweden).
Surfing in Norway is no different from the rest of the western world. Global
sites like Facebook, YouTube and Google dominate. Two traditional media are
among the ten most visited - the newspapers of the World Gang and Dagbladet
(2012).
TV and radio
Norway has about 20 nationwide TV channels, of which the three largest are
state-owned and license-funded: NRK1, 2 and 3. The fourth largest, TV 2, is
wholly owned since 2012 by Danish Egmont who previously shared ownership with
the Norwegian A-press. TV 2 is financed entirely with advertising. The others
are advertising and / or pay channels and are owned either by Egmont, German
ProSiebenSat.1 or Swedish MTG. All are transmitted via cable / satellite or via
the digital terrestrial network. The analogue terrestrial network was closed in
2009. In addition, there are 14 local, advertising-financed channels and NRK's
twelve-regional, license-financed channels.
NRK has an extensive business on the internet and as one of the few TV
companies in the world, it offers downloading programs with the file sharing
protocol BitTorrent. Norway has 13 nationwide radio channels, of which NRK has
eleven. NRK broadcasts all channels digitally (DAB). Norway became the first
country in the world to end FM broadcasts in 2017.
MTG has the channel P4 and ProSiebenSat.1 owns the channel Radio Norge. NRK
also has 16 regional channels. In addition, there are approximately 280 local
channels with a number of different owners, all financed with advertising
(2017).
Regular radio broadcasts began in 1925. Private advertising-financed radio
companies were established in Oslo and Bergen in 1925, in Troms in 1926 and in
Ålesund in 1927. The radio was monopolized in 1933 by the Norwegian National
Circuit, NRK.
Television was introduced in 1960 without advertising. In the early 1980s,
Norwegian radio and television were liberalized through the introduction of
local radio (local radio in 1982) and local TV with permission for advertising
funding from 1988 and 1991. Satellite TV came in 1988 and national,
radio-financed radio was introduced in 1993.
Newspapers
Norway is at the top of the world when it comes to newspaper reading. There
are 225 daily newspapers, of which 74 are multi-day newspapers and the rest are
daily newspapers with 1-3 issues per week. The total edition was about 2 million
(2016).
The first news-oriented newspapers came in the early 19th century.
Morgenbladet, founded in Kristiania in 1819 and with its heyday in the late
1800s, was the first daily. During the period 1860–90, many newspapers were
especially started. The first popular, affordable daily newspaper was
Aftenposten, founded in 1860 by the bookmaker Christian Schibsted.
Party-owned daily press was introduced in Norway at the turn of the century
by the labor movement. During the German occupation, more than half of the
newspapers were banned, and the rest were censored. The Norwegian Telegram
Agency (NTB) and major newspapers such as Aftenposten were controlled by the
Nazis.
Loosely sold tabloid magazines began to develop during the 1960s, with the
Swedish Expressen as the model when the Schibsted family took over the World
Gang in 1963 (VG, founded in 1945 in Oslo). VG's closest competitor Dagbladet
(founded 1869 in Kristiania) was published in tabloid format only in 1983.
Today, the newspaper market is dominated by two groups - Schibsted and Amedia
(formerly Apressen). Together, they have just under 60% of the total edition.
Schibsted owns the two largest newspapers, the Aftenposten and the World
Gang, both with editions of over 200,000 copies. (2012). The Group has
operations in some 25 countries. owner of the newspapers Aftonbladet and Svenska
Dagbladet and Blocket, a website for classified ads.
After the acquisition of Edda Media (formerly Orkla Media) in 2012, Amedia's
newspapers have about the same edition as Schibsted. However, Amedia only
includes smaller regional and local newspapers. The third largest newspaper,
Dagbladet, is privately owned. Major regional newspapers are Bergens Tidende,
Adresseavisen in Trondheim and Stavanger Aftenblad. Editions vary from just
under 100,000 (Dagbladet) to Stavanger Aftenblad's just over 60,000 (2012).
All the major newspapers have extensive business on the Internet and are also
far ahead in customizing the websites for mobile devices. Norway also has small,
local free newspapers but no major Metro like in the other Nordic countries.
The Norwegian daily press stands strong compared to the other Nordic
countries, although the total edition has dropped by about 300,000 items. since
2007. A strong regional press and a large state press subsidy are a couple of
reasons. The Norwegian daily press was subsidized with the equivalent of SEK 3.8
billion in 2011. Swedish press support for the same year was just under SEK 500
million. A large part of the support goes to rural newspapers, which have very
small editions. Only about 30 of Norway's 225 daily newspapers have an edition
of over 20,000 copies. (2016).
It is mainly the major newspapers that have had to rethink their business
model when the Internet has taken over many of the services that have been the
newspapers' traditional sources of revenue. But a forward-thinking thinking
among the major daily newspapers has meant that they still control
advertisements for vehicles, jobs, housing, etc., unlike the other Nordic
countries.
Already in 1996, when the internet began to break through, Aftenposten,
Bergens Tidende, Stavanger Aftenblad and Fædrelandsvennen feared that the
internet would eventually take the revenues from the paper magazine in relation
to these headline markets. Instead of defending their traditional business
model, they formed an independent company entirely focused on online
advertising, Finn.no, a counterpart to the Swedish Blocket.
Today Finn.no is owned by Schibsted and Polaris Media but also collaborates
with magazines outside the ownership circle. Finn.no is completely dominant when
it comes to heading markets on the internet and is one of the ten most visited
websites in Norway.
Weekly press and magazine
The Norwegian weekly and magazine press is dominated by three publishers.
Egmont is the largest, with Norway's largest weekly magazine Hjemmet with a
circulation of just over 175,000 items. Aller Media has about 40% of the market.
the celebrity magazine Se og Hør with an edition of just over 140,000 copies.
Bonnier has about 10% of the market with a dozen specialty magazines such as Bo
Bedre and Illustrert Science.
The first weekly newspaper in Norway was Illustrert Familieblad (1887–1971).
With models and capital from Denmark, Allers Family-Journal was started in 1898
by Carl Aller and Hjemmet in 1909 by Egmont H. Petersen. With strong emphasis on
Norwegian, Norsk Ukeblad was established in 1933 by Ernst G. Mortensen's
publishing house and with spiritual signs Christian Youth in 1939 (since 1959
The Family).
Book and publishing system
Letterpress art first came to Norway in 1643. Politically and economically,
Norway was dependent on Denmark. Copenhagen was the spiritual and literary
center for both kingdoms. Especially as the printing of larger works required
the king's or other financial support, it was preferably carried out in Denmark.
However, Norwegian literature was also printed elsewhere abroad. The oldest
Norwegian book - printed in Denmark - is Missale Nidrosiense (1519).
To Kristiania moved in 1643 Copenhagen book printer Tyge Nielssøn (born about
1610, died about 1687). The first work completed by this Norway's first book
printer was an almanac for 1644. A total of seven prints are preserved from
Nielssøn's office. In 1647, Melchior Martzan (died 1654) in Kristiania
established a branch for his university printing press in Copenhagen. Only 13
prints from this print shop are known. In 1650 it was sold to the factor
Valentin Kuhn (died in 1654). From the years 1643 to 1654, 41 prints have been
preserved.
Until 1809, there was only one printing press in the Norwegian capital. In
1812 Christopher Grøndahl (1784-1864) started his own printing press in
Kristiania and in 1840 he introduced the printing press in Norway. During the
19th century, printers were founded around the country while a modern publishing
system was emerging.
The oldest publisher is Cappelen Forlag A / S. Other significant
publishers include Aschehoug & Co. and Gyldendal Norsk Forlag AS,
which also includes the bookstore chain Ark. Within the Norwegian publishing
system there are also Swedish and Danish interests. Bonniers bought Cappelen in
1987. A new publishing group, jointly owned by Bonniers and the Danish media
group Egmont, emerged in 2007, when Cappelen merged with the Egmont-owned dam.
Leading publisher of literature in New Norwegian is Det Norske Samlaget.
The Norwegian Publishing Association, (established in 1895) has a strong
position in Norwegian cultural life. The Publishers Association annually awards
the prestigious Brage Prize (corresponding to the Swedish August Prize). The
book club market is completely dominated by De norske Bokklubbene AS,
with Aschehoug and Gyldendal as the dominant owners. Unlike the other Nordic
countries, Norway has maintained a - albeit increasingly open - fixed-price
system for new books.
According to the Forlegger Association's statistics, total book sales in 2012
amounted to 5.5 billion Norwegian kroner and the number of newly issued titles
was approximately 7,500.
Culture
Norwegian culture has become internationally
known through the artist Edvard Munch (1863–1944), the
composer Edvard Grieg (1843–1907), the playwright Henrik
Ibsen (1828–1906) and Nobel Prize-winning writers such
as Sigrid Undset (1882–1949), Knut Hamsun (1859– 1952)
and Bjørnstärn Bjørnson (1832-1910).
Notable authors during the 20th century are Agnar
Mykle, Johan Borgen, Cora Sandel, Tarjei Vesaas and the
Danish-born Aksel Sandemose. At the end of the century
came a new generation of successful writers with names
such as Dag Solstad and Jan Kjaerstad. Norwegian
children's and youth writers have also achieved
international success, the greatest success Jostein
Gaarder has made with Sofie's world.
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Countryaah:
Latest population statistics of Norway, including religious profiles and major languages spoken as well as population growth rates in next three decades.
In the 2000s, Per Petterson and Karl Ove Knausgård
belong to the great Norwegian author names. Erlend Lo's
ironically humorous novels have become popular.
Several Norwegian writers have attracted attention,
including Anne Holt, Karin Fossum and international
bestseller Jo Nesbø.
Liv Ullman has had success both as an actor and as a
film director, including with the film Kristin
Lavransdotter. Her daughter Linn Ullman has written
several notable books, including "Before You Fall
Asleep" and "A Blessed Child".
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Songaah: List and lyrics of songs related to the country name of Norway. Artists and albums are also included.
Norwegian classical music practice has gained much
appreciation internationally. A well-known classical
soloist is violinist Arve Tellefsen. The young musician
and singer Alexander Rybak got an international
breakthrough when he won the Eurovision Song Contest
with a record score in 2009.
The big name among Norwegian sculptors is Gustav
Vigeland. His life's work is the gigantic sculpture
facility in Frogner Park in Oslo.
Norway has distinguished itself for its explorers as
polar scientists Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen.
Thor Heyerdahl's journey with the Kon-Tiki Balsa fleet
from Peru to Polynesia in 1947 fascinated a whole world.
2017
December
Spy suspected Norwegian is put in Russian detention
December 19
The Russian intelligence service FSB seizes a
Norwegian who is suspected of spying on the US CIA and
the Norwegian intelligence service. The man is detained
for at least two months. The FSB must have seized the
Norwegian when he received secretly stamped documents
about the Russian fleet from a Russian. The Norwegian is
employed by an authority that monitors laws and traffic
at the Russian-Norwegian border. Relations between
Russia and the Natolanden Norway are usually good, but
have deteriorated since the Russian annexation of the
Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine 2014.
Fishing stop in the Arctic
December 3
The fishing nations around the Arctic agree to stop
all commercial fishing in the Arctic waters for the time
being. In line with global warming, fish stocks have
decreased in size and fishing hours have begun to take
new paths. During the stop, the nations will conduct
joint research to find out more about the ecosystems in
the area in order to eventually be able to resume
fishing. The agreement includes Canada, the EU, China,
Denmark (Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Iceland,
Japan, Norway, South Korea, Russia and the USA.
November
Norway sues for oil exploration in the Arctic
November 14
The Norwegian state is sued in a court in Oslo by
Greenpeace and Natur og Ungdom for the country in 2016
gave licenses to 13 companies to look for oil in the
Barents Sea in the Arctic. The environmental
organizations consider that the licenses are in
violation of the international climate agreement COP 21
as well as a constitutional supplement from 2014 which
states that all Norwegian citizens are entitled to a
healthy environment. The Norwegian state's oil revenues
have decreased during the 2000s and production of crude
oil has halved since 2001. Among the 13 oil companies
are Norwegian Statoil, American Chevron, Swedish Lundin
and Russian Lukoil.
October
Women on the three highest ministerial posts
October 23
Prime Minister Erna Solberg appoints Defense Minister
Ine Eriksen Soreide as new Foreign Minister. She is thus
replacing her male representative Borge Brende, who will
become the senior leader of the World Economic Forum.
The change of minister means that Norway now has women
in the three highest ministerial posts: Prime Minister,
Minister of Finance (Siv Jensen) and Foreign Minister.
The new Minister of Defense will be Frank Bakke-Jensen,
whose former post as Minister for European Affairs goes
to Marit Berger Rosland, a woman.
Norwegian company invests in solar power in Iran
October 17
Norwegian solar energy company Saga Energy signs an
agreement with Iranian Amin Energy Developers to invest
EUR 2.5 billion in Iran over the next five years. The
money will be used to build solar panels in several
places in the desert. Norway's ambassador to Iran, Lars
Nordrum, tells media that the agreement shows that
Norway takes the disarmament agreement with Iran (JCPOA)
seriously. The deal is written just days after US
President Trump sharpened the tone against Iran and
demanded new sanctions on the country. The Norwegian
solar power project is funded by a consortium of
European state and private investors as well as a
guarantee from the Iranian government.
September
Police chief sentenced to 21 years in prison
September 18
Eirik Jensen, chief of police responsible for
combating organized crime in Oslo, is sentenced to the
most severe sentence, 21 years in prison, for receiving
bribes between 2004 and 2013 and helping a notorious
drug dealer smuggle in a total of 14 tons of cannabis in
Norway. The drug smuggler is sentenced to 15 years in
prison. He receives a lower penalty as a result of
stating Jensen and admitting his own crime. Jensen
denies the crime and will appeal the verdict. The court
ruled that Jensen received at least NOK 667,800 in
bribes.
Civilian Rolling Victory
11 September
In the parliamentary elections, the four bourgeois
parties Høyre, the Progress Party, the Venstre and the
Christian People's Party together win 88 of 169 seats
against 81 seats for the opposition. However, the
opposition Labor Party becomes the largest single party
with 27.4 percent of the vote. The second largest is
Høyre with 25 percent, while the Progress Party comes
third with just over 15 percent. The center party gets
just over 10 percent, which means it almost doubles its
mandate. Socialist Left also goes up to 6 percent. The
Left and Christian People's Party back slightly to just
over 4 percent. The environmental party De Grønne
receives just over 3 percent of the vote and retains
its only mandate from 2013. The left-wing Red comes into
the parliament with 1 mandate by obtaining just over 2
per cent.
The result means that all four parties that have
ruled Norway since 2013 are back, as is the largest
opposition party. The Center Party and Socialist Left
make a good choice.
It also means that Prime Minister Solberg, Høyre,
will be the first Conservative prime minister since 1985
to be re-elected. Immediately after the election,
Solberg invites Venstre, the Christian People's Party
and the Progress Party to government negotiations.
The economy in focus in the electoral movement
September 7
The electoral movement before the parliamentary
elections on September 11 mainly concerns questions
about taxes and how the oil fund, which on June 30, 2017
reached a value of $ 1000 billion, should be best used.
The Opposition Labor Party has said it aims to abolish
two-thirds of the tax cuts implemented by the government
since 2013, among other things, the tax should be
increased for high-income earners. At the same time, the
Labor Party wants to be more restrictive in withdrawing
money from the oil fund than the current government has
been. As Election Day approaches, it seems to be fairly
evenly between the blocs, while the opposition has
previously been ahead of the ruling parties in polls.
This is probably because the Norwegian economy has
improved in recent times, which has benefited the
government.
April
Solberg visits China
April 7
As the first Norwegian prime minister in over a
decade, Erna Solberg visits the government in Beijing.
It is also the first high political exchange to take
place since the diplomatic relations between Norway and
China were normalized (see December 2016).
During the visit, the two countries enter into a series
of trade and cooperation agreements.
March
"Breivik not inhumanly treated"
March 1st
A court in Oslo, equivalent to the Swedish High
Court, renders a lower court ruling that held that the
mass murderer Behring Breivik was treated inhumanely by
the Norwegian state when he was kept in isolation for a
long time. The Court of Appeal in Oslo does not consider
that the prisoner has been treated inhumanly or has been
subjected to torture-like treatment. The prison where
Behring Breivik is located has not made any changes to
the handling of the mass murderer since the conviction
in the district court. The prisoner is still in an
isolation cell for the purpose of preventing him from
disseminating information about his Nazi-inspired and
violent manifesto to any followers.
February
The church begins to wed same-sex couples
February 1st
The Evangelical Lutheran Church adopts a new church
service that allows priests who want to marry same-sex
couples. In the past, pastors within the church have
only been allowed to bless gay couples.
January
Hundreds of US soldiers are deployed
January 17
Three hundred US marines are stationed in Norway for
the purpose of strengthening NATO's defense along the
Russian border. The deployment takes place three days
before Donald Trump is installed as US President. Trump
has called NATO "outrageous" and said that the defense
alliance should concentrate on terrorism instead of
Moscow.
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