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UNIVERSITY OF BERGENDept. of Information Science and Media Studies
Helge stbye
The Norwegian Press:History and Structure
Monday, February 14th 2011
Mevi110 Introduction to Media Studies
and the Norwegian Media System
Helge stbye
Three facts about Newspapers in Norway:
Few countries in Europe havemore newspaper titles thanNorway
Hardly any country in the worldhave a higher newspaperconsumption than Norway
Almost all groups in the countryread newspapers on a regularbasis
Helge stbye
Re. fact : The number of newspaper titles in someEuropean countries
Number of National and Local Daily Paid-forNewspapers 2008
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Germany
SpainUK
France
ItalySweden
Norway
FinlandDenmark
The Neterlands
BelgiumAustriaEstonia
Source: World Press Trends(2009)
Helge stbye
Re. fact : Newspaper consumption in some countries
Newspaper consumption (paid-for dailies):Circulation per 1000 adult population0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
JapanNorwayFinland
Switzerland
AustriaUK
GermanyThe Netherlands
DenmarkEstonia
FranceItaly
ChinaPortugal
EgyptSyria
Ethiopia
Source: World Press Trends(2009)
Helge stbye
Re. fact : Newspaper reading in sociodemographic groupsin Norway
% Newspaper readers on an average day 2009 (and
1991)
0
25
50
75
100
Men
Wom
en
9-15
yrs
16-24
25-44
45-66
67-79
Low
educ
.
Medium
High
2009 1991
Helge stbye
This lecture: Links to the reading list:
Bakke, Liv Mari and Nina Bjrnstad (2006) Norway, in Eva Harrie
(ed) Media Trends 2006 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway
and Sweden. Radio, TV and Internet. Stockholm: Nordicom
Bastiansen, Henrik (2008) Media History and the Study of
Media Systems, in Media History(14)1: 95-112
Krumsvik, Arne (2006) What Is the Strategic Role of Online
Newspapers?, in Nordicom Review27 (2006)2: pp. 285-297
stbye, Helge (1997) Norway, ch. 12 in Bernt Stubbestergaard (ed.): The Media in Western Europa. The
Euromedia Handbook, London: Sage
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Helge stbye
Updated and additional information:
See The Norwegian Press-folder at Mevi110s home page atMy Space:
Updated, factual information can be found at
http://medienorge.uib.no/english/
(English pages unavailable at the moment)
A recent publication can be downloaded from:
http://www.nordicom.gu.se/common/publ_pdf/NMT09%20001-194.pdf
Se also: http://www.nordicom.gu.se/eng.php?portal=mt
Helge stbye
Norwegian Newspaper
History
Helge stbye
Some basic facts about Norwegian History
From 1380 Norway came under Danish rule all national,
Norwegian institution ceased to exist in 1537
1537 Lutheran Protestantism introduced
1660 The introduction of absolute Monarchy
1739 Legislation to create a nationwide school system: Almost
everyone learn to read.
1760s The first Norwegian newspapers
1814 Danish rule in Norway terminated, and after a shortinterregnum when Norway declared its independence in No-vember replaced by a more equal union with Sweden. During the
interregnum, a liberal (relatively democratic) Constitution was
adopted, and this was retained during the union with Sweden.
1905 Full national independence
1940-45 During World War II Norway was occupied by Germany
Helge stbye
1450 1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800
1455Gutenberg
1605Thefirstnews-papers
1633First
paperInDen-mark
1645First
paperInSwe-den
1657
First
Danish
langua
-
ge
paper
1763First
newspaperin Norway
1650
first
daily
paper
Helge stbye
May, 25th 1763: The first issue of
Norske Intelligenz-SeddelerinOslo (Christiania)
1765: Bergens Adresse-Contoirs
Efterretninger, in Bergen
1767: Trondhiems Adresse-Con-
toirs Efterretninge, in Trondheim
From 1780: In Kristiansand
From 1810: In the small, rural
community of Volda
In 1808 Two more papers in Oslo,
then a few more papers before1814
A licence from the King was
necessary. Censorship
Helge stbye
1814
May, 17th 1814: The NorwegianConstitution was approved by
The Constituent Assembly at
Eidsvold
Clause 100
guaranties the freedom of the
press
(this clause remained unchanged
until 2004)
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Helge stbye
The first Norwegian newspapers (1763-1830)
Oslo 1763-: NorskeIntelligenz-Seddeler;
Altogether 6 papers in1830
Trondheim 1767-:Adesse-ContoiretsEfterretninger;
1819-1839:Trond-hjemskeLverdagsaften
Bergen 1765-:Adesse-ContoiretsEfterretninger
Volda 1810-16:Norsk Landboeblad/1818: Ugebladet
Fredrikstad 1814:Fredrikstad Tidende
Drammen 1816-:Drammens Tidende
Kristiansand1780.88Chr.sands Ugeblade1790-: Chr. Adr.C.Eft
Skien 1830:Ugeblad for Skien ogOmegn
Helge stbye
Number of newspapers in Norway(1760 - 1940)
0
50
100
150
200
250300
1760 1780 1800 1820 1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940
1860 1920: The
big expansion: Newgroups of readers.
Party politicalaffiliation of the
newspapers
1814: TheConstituion;union with
Sweden
1884: Constitutionalcrises. The formation of
two political parties
1905: Fullindependencefrom Sweden
1830 1850:The first expan-
sion: Moretitles, the same
kind of readers
Helge stbye
The expansion 1860 1920
Reduction in print paper prices
More efficient typesetting and printing processes
led to cheaper newspapers
which in turn broadened readership (farmers, teachers,craftsmen, clerks etc, later also working class people) andchanges in the form, content and political orientation ofthe newspapers.
It was cheap to establish a new newspaperNew newspapers appeared in cities and towns whichalready had a newspaper
The first political parties were formed in 1884: Venstre(left - Liberal) and Hyre (right - Conservative). In orderto attract and audience, the newspapers supported one ofthe parties. The newspapers became partisan
Helge stbye
The expansion 1860 1920: The Party Press
The old newspapers tended to support the government, andended up as supporters ofHyre (the Conservative party)
New newspapers tended to support the opposition andended as supporters ofVenstre (the Liberal party)
both these groups of newspapers were usually owned byindividuals or families in the local community
From the beginning of the 1900s, a third party establishednewspapers Arbeiderpartiet (the Labour party). These
papers were usually owned by local party organizations andtrade unions.
Helge stbye
Between World War I and II:
A few Oslo based newspapers had a national distribution, butthe distribution was slow, and
local and regional papers dominated
In places with newspapers, there were usually severalnewspapers, each representing one political party.
e.g. Bergen, 1935:
13 newspapers, of which 7 were dailies
representing 9 different political parties, in addition toone Christian newspaper, one supporting nynorsklanguage, and one focusing on the fishing industry
In March/April 1940: 274 newspapers in 121 locations
Helge stbye
World War II (April 1940 May 1945)
Norway was occupied by Germany and ruled by Germany andthe Norwegian Nazi party
All parties except the Nazi Party were prohibited
Strong censorship
Radio listening became illegal in 1941, and the radioreceivers were confiscated
A lot of newspapers had to close down
This included almost all Labour party papers
More than 50 % of the Liberal newspapers andapproximately 45% of the Conservative papers
A lot of handwritten, typed or printed newssheetsdistributed in Norway by different resistance groups
In April 1945: 112 ordinary newspapers in 96 locations
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Helge stbye
The Post War period: Reconstruction
March/April 1940: 274 newspapers in 121 locationsApril 1945: 112 newspapers in 96 locations
December 1945: 196 newspapers in 121 locations
December 1952: 227 newspapers in 123 locations
1945-50: Most of the pre war press system was reconstructed:a party political press, with competition on most localmarkets
Newspapers that were not disrupted during the war, got along-term advantage on the markets in the post warperiod (audience market, and especially theadvertisements market)
A concentration of readership and advertisements
Helge stbye
More readers
Moreadvertisements
More econo-
mic resources
Better editorialproduct
Etc.
The Circulation Spiral
And a similar, but
opposite, spiral for
the No. 2 papers
Helge stbye
Preserved from the pre war period:
Close links between newspapers and the political parties
Trends in the newspaper structure from the 1950s
More commercial competition on the local markets thelargest paper in each market tries to increase its salesoutside the political congregation
The smaller newspapers in each market ran into difficulties
A strong trend towards local monopolisation
Weakening of the political propaganda
Since the 1950s
Competition on local newspaper markets
Helge stbye
From the 1970s
Formal links between newspapers and political parties areclosed (departification rather than depolitisation)
Small, non-political newspapers grew up outside cities andtowns (offset printing)
From the 1980s:
Newspapers become businesses that could be bought andsold. The newspapers become a part of the commercialsector, in addition to (or: rather than) the political sector
Newspaper chains and media conglomerates appear for thefirst time in Norway
Towns and cities with more than one newspaper becamemore and more rare.
Since the 1950s
Competition on local newspaper markets
Helge stbye
Until 1814: Licensing of newspapers. Varying degree of
censorship and punishment for criticism of the King
Since 1814: The 17th of May Constitution: Freedom of
printing (no censorship, no licensing), but some areas
are exempted
1814 ca 1840: The King ran a shady business with
selective postage subsidies to newspapers and directbriberies to editors
During World War I: The government proposed
legislation that would limit the presss freedom tooffend foreign countries and to take up matters of
national security. This legislation was rejected by the
parliament
Censorship and regulation of content 1760 -2009
Helge stbye
1928: A council with representatives for journalists and
editors, was appointed by the Norwegian Press
Association in order to decide on good practise innews-papers,
1936: A code of press ethics is adopted (called VrVarsom-plakaten). The Council is renamed Pressens
Faglige Utvalg. This system still exists, and
journalists, editors, newspaper owners, radio andtelevision channels etc. are members of the Press
Association and are obliged to follow the ethical
code. A kind ofself controlin the media.
1940-1945: World War II: Norway is occupied by
Germany. Total suspension of Press Freedom.
Censorship and regulation of content 1760 -2009 cont.
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Helge stbye
(1945-1990: The Cold War)1948-1950: A proposed defence law would include the
possibility for the state to introduce media censor-ship in case of war or when the country is
threatened by war. The clauses about press
censorships were stopped following a heated debate.
1948 ca. 1960: Informal agreement among the news
media to support the Norwegian (pro NATO) foreignpolicy. Communists and radical groups within the
Labour Party are more or less excluded from partici-
pating in the debate on Norwegian foreign policy
1985 : Ownership concentration in the press is
regarded as a threat to variety and diversity in the
Norwegian press
Censorship and regulation of content 1760 -2009 cont.
Helge stbye
Todays
Norwegian Newspaper
Structure
Helge stbye
VG (Oslo)
Established in 1945
Circulation: 262 000
Daily readership: 952 000
+ net: 1.5 mill
Owned by Schibsted
Dagbladet (Oslo)
Established in 1869
Circulation: 105 000
Used to have links to the
Liberal party
Daily readership: 0,5 mill
+ net: 1,0 mill
Ownership: Independent
Some important Norwegian newspapers
Helge stbye
Aftenposten (Oslo)
Established in 1860
Two daily editions: The morningedition has a regional (EasternNorway) and national distribution.
The afternoon edition (Called Aften)is only distributed in the Oslo area.
Circulation: 243 000
(Aften: 112 000)
Daily readership: 695 000
+ net: 630 000
Used to support the Conservative
Party
Owned by Schibsted, part of the
Media Norge Group
Helge stbye
Klassekampen(Oslo)
(Marxist-Leninist)
Circulation: 13 000
Vrt Land (Oslo)(Christian)
Circulation: 26 000
Dagens Nringsliv (Oslo)
(Business newspaper)
Circulation: 80 000
Helge stbye
Bergens Tidende, Bergen
(regional newspaper)
Established: 1869
Former liberal paper
Circulation: 83 000
Owned by Schibsted -Media Nor e
Bergensavisen (BA),Bergen
(local newspaper)
Established: 1922
Former social democraticpaper
Circulation: 25 000
Owned by A-pressen
Dagen Magazinet,Bergen
(regional, Christian
newspaper)
Established: 1919
Circulation: 10 000
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Helge stbye
Adresseavisen,Trondheim
(reg. newspaper)Est.: 1767
Former Conser-
vative paperCirc.: 76 000Is the hub in a
local newspapergroup (Polaris)
Stavanger Aften-blad, Stavanger
(reg. newspaper)
Est.: 1893
Former Liberal
paper
Circ.: 65 000
Owned by Schibsted Media Norge
Fdrelands-vennenr,Kristiansand
(reg. newspaper)
Est.: 1875
Former Lib. paper
Circ.: 34 000
Owned by Schibsted Media Norge
Helge stbye
The structure of Norwegian Newspapers
225Total:
142Local non-dailies
62Local dailies
4Regional papers
7National weeklies
8National opinion
papers
2Popular papers
No. of papers
Based on Hst 2010
Circulation (% of national total)
Localweeklies
Localnon-
dailies
Regional papers
Nationalopnionpapers
Popularpapers
Nationalweeklies
Localdailies
Helge stbye
National, regional and local newspapers
One reason why the number of newspapers inNorway is so high, and also the total circulation,
is that all three levels are well developed.
The national level is not dominant(partly
because of the long distance from Oslo to other
parts of the country, partly because of stronglocal identification)
Not until VG started to send newspapers by air toNorthern Norway and other regions in the mid1960s, it is reasonable to say that a national
press had emerged in Norway
Helge stbye
State subsidies to the press
1935: Newspapers are exempted from PurchaseTax and VAT (which replaced it in 1969)
1960s: Reduction in the number of newspapers
Hardest hit: local no. 2 newspapers
1969: The introduction of a system wherecertain categories of newspapers got direct
subsidies from the state
Important that the state could not influencethe content of the newspapers therefore:strict guidelines and formal criteria for the
system
Helge stbye
State subsidies to the press
Todays system:
Several forms of subsidies.
The two most important are:
Exemption from VAT (Value Added Tax)
Almost all other products and services: a tax of 25%(14% for food; 8% for transpor- tation). Newspapers(and books) are exempted (value: 1 2 000 000 000NOK)
Production grants
A recent evaluation has concluded that the basic structureof the should be continued
Helge stbye
State subsidies to the press
Todays system: Production grants
Fulfil certain criteria for being a newspaper
and
Not paying profits to the owners
and
either: Have 3 or more weekly editions and acirculation of more than 2000
or:have at least one weekly edition and a circulationof more than 1000
and
either: a circulation of less than 6 000
or: is a no. 2 newspaper with a circulation between2000 and 80 000
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Helge stbye
State subsidies to the press
Todays system: Production grantsIn total: The system works for
Small newspapers (up to 6 000)
No. 2 newspapers (up to 80 000)
Some examples (2009):
Bergensavisen (BA): (circulation: 25 178, daily, incl.Sundays) 33,1 mill NOK (19% of total turnover)
Bygdanytt: (circulation: 4536 twice weekly) 1,9 mill NOK(15%)
Sydvesten: (circulation: 2146, weekly) 410 000 NOK (?%)
Bergens Tidende does not receive production grants
Helge stbye
State subsidies to the press
Todays system: Production grantsThe system has been successful in order to
support a wide selection of national opinionpapers
The system has been successful in small, localnewspaper
The system has notbeen successful in preservinglocal no. 2 newspapers. Only a handful of
towns and cities have local competition
Helge stbye
Sami newspapers
The Sami population is an indigenouspeople from Northern Norway,Finland, Sweden and Russia.
40 000 60 000 live in Norway aconcentration in the North, but alsoall over the country; approx. 10%earn their livelihood from traditionalreindeer herding.
Sami is Finno-Ugric language (not anIndo-European language). Most Samipeople speak Norwegian, but there isstrong support for Sami newspapers.
o Sagt (5 per week; 2 700)
o vvir (5 per week; 1 200)
Helge stbye
Ownership concentration
During the party press era:
Each newspaper had its unique set of owners (butwith a central organisation for the trade unions
and the Labour party as a minority shareholder
in the Labour Party newspaper: A-pressen)
With a few exceptions, the newspapers did notpay much profit to their shareholders: if they ran
into profit, the paper spent the surplus oninvestments or more journalists. Low stock
exchange value.
In the early 1980s (the yuppie era): Newspapers and
other media firms became popular amonginvestors
Newspaper owners:
Schibsted: VG (100%),
Aftenposten (morning + Aften)(100%)
Bergens Tidende
Stavanger Aftenblad
Fdrelandsvennen
+ 10 small, local papers
Polaris: 44% *)
2009: These four new-spaper companies weremerged into onecompany: Media Norge,where Schibsted will own51% (now: 80%)
Schibsted is owned by a Norwegian foundation (26%) and otherinvestors (Norwegian and international banks and other financialinvestors). 42 percent foreign ownership.
*) Ordered to sell parts of this investmentbefore they establish Media Norge
Newspaper owners:
A-pressen:
(formed in 1989 by LO (TUC))
Organised all but 2 of the Labour partynewspapers
Has since then bought several formernon-socialist papers
Owns 51 local newspapers all overNorway
50% of TV 2
A-pressen is owned by Trade unions Telenor (the old telephone monopoly, today operating The Norwegian foundation Fritt Ord (fridom of speech)
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Newspaper owners:
Edda (Mecom):
Orkla, a major Norwegian corporation (formermining company), started purchasing mediacompanies in the early 1980s, and becameone of the top three newspaper owners.
2006: Orkla sold all their newspapers to theBritish multinational media company Mecom(established in 2000 by David Montgomery)
The Norwegian division of Mecom is calledEdda
Edda owns 20 Norwegian newspapers
David Montgomery
Newspaper owners:
Polaris Media:
Adresseavisen in Trondheim prepared to join other regionalnewspapers in the Media Norge merger, but was left out.
Adresseavisen, which already owned a handful of local papers inthe Mid Norway region, responded by purchasing a small chainthat Schibsted was forced to sell in order to be allowed tocreate Media Norge. The new company Polaris wasestablished in 2008. In 2009 the group bought 2 papers fromEdda
Owns 20 (+2) newspapers
Owners: Schibsted: 44% (36 % are formally owned by SEB) Must Invest: 15% Local investors: 41%
Why is media ownership important?
It is legitimate for the owners to decide on economic
conditions (spending) in the media firms. Thisinfluences both media structure and the principle line
of content in the individual channels (newspapers)
and the appointment of editors
in some cases (not legitimate in Norway) the ownersmake decision about details about the day-to-day
content
And because the media are important for the society
(freedom of speech, democracy, language, culture, etc.)
Newspaper ownership 2009:
20Edda
49A-pressen20Polaris
225Total
121Others
15Schibsted
No ofpapers
Newspaper circulation 2009, byowner group
Others32 %
A-pressen17 %
Edda10 %
Schib-
sted32 %
Polaris9 %
Owners
In general two motives dominate for the owners:
profits (short or long term economic gain
propaganda/influence (influence on otherpeoples world view, attitudes, actions, etc.; bothordinary people and decision makers)
In Norway there has been a swing from propagandato profit motives since the 1960s
Newspaper Consumption
The total number of newspapers is stable, or increasing
The total circulation of Norwegian newspapers peaked in themid 1990s
Total Circulation- Norwegian newspapers 1969 - 2009
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
1969 1984 1990 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 20
in1
000
Fallen to2,65 mill.
In 2009
Maximum1997:
3,2 mill.
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Newspaper Consumption
A worrying sign for the newspapers I: Fewer young people readnewspapers
Percent who read newspaper "yesterday" byage, 1991, 1999 and 2009
0
20
40
60
80
100
915 16-24 25-44 45-66 67-79
1991 1999 2009
NB!
NB!!NB!
Newspaper Consumption
A worrying sign for the newspapers II:
People tend to read fewer newspapers
Number of newspapers read yesterday 1991 and 2007
But many now read news on the Internet very often from thenewspapers
1991
OneTwo
None3 or more
2007
None
One
Two
3 or
more
Helge stbye
Newspapers in Norway- In a slow decline, but still an important media
Newspapers reach about the same number of people as television(and more than radio and Internet) on an average day
And newspaper ad-vertising make thesame amount ofmoney as television
advertising
Advertising in Norway(Jan - Sept 2008)
News-papers
Maga-
zines
Televisio
Radio
Internet
Cinema,
othersOutdoor,
direct