• Document.no: Pogroms in Oslo
    Document.no is more than a blog, it is a community. Whatsmore it is intelligent, well-mannered and subsequently growing, which makes a lot of people somewhat worried. Document.no now offers a lengthy post on Norwegian author Eirik Eiglad’s book “The anti-jewish riots in Oslo”. Unauthorized translation from Pogroms in Oslo: Researchers and the police can say: […]
  • Malmö: Ever since I came here people have been shouting ‘fucking Jew’ at me
    Anyone concerned for the re-emergence of anti-Semitism in Scandinavia who is not reading Sweden, Israel and the Jews is robbing themselves blind. If you follow Sweden, this is the place to go. Ilya Meyer has a larger archive. On the other hand Norwegian newspapers, with exception being made for Aftenposten, are not particularly interested in [...] […]
  • ‘Jews themselves wrote lists of whom were to die in concentration camps’
    The University of Oslo wants to fire a history professor – appearently for having violated its health, environment and safety (HES) code. Protesters say this has nothing to do with HES and everything to do with the Univeristy curtailing the freedom of expression of its staff. One of the protestors is Professor of Law Jan [...] […]
  • Norwegian funnymen fearful of insulting Muhammed
    Norwegian comedian Thomas Seltzer. Picture from NRK P3. In 2006 funnyman Otto Jespersen demonstrated his courageous wit by torching the Bible. When asked why he did not burn the Koran, he replied: “We considered that too, but could not get hold of a copy. What is more I am 52 years old now and reckon [...] […]
  • Støre and Syria, Bishops’ Boycott
    FM Jonas Gahr Støre met with Syria’s FM Muallem on Monday8th. Nothing much in the media about that, not at all. Syria hardly registers at all. In the clip above you see a program from Syrian television. Does not this look like the kind of society Norwegians ought to be worried over? Remember [...] […]
  • VG on Bishops’ Boycott
    Verdens Gang (VG) - Norway's largest daily Verdens Gang (VG) is Norway’s largest daily. In today’s editorial the newspaper claims that the Bishops Boycott is, pretty much, a walk down nonsense street. Unauthorized translation: We believe that the Bishops ought to bury the though of a boycott of trade as soon as possible. They receive the [...] […]
  • No Press Accreditation for PR-woman Yngvild Mortensen
    Qassam rockets: from Ynet news Dagbladet reports on how freelancing journalist Yngvild Mortensen has her knickers in a twist as Israel refuses to grant her press accreditation. The reason Ms.Mortensen is not getting one is because she is a freelancer, and not in steady employ. When one looks back upon the long series of biased [...] […]
  • Is Dagbladet confusing Gaza with the Westbank?
    Dagbladet attributes this picture to Gaza, by Reuters, Elilana Aponte and Scanpix. The picture above is from an article in Dabladet titled “New peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians“. The first half hour the picture did not have any explaining subtext, which easily might have lead readers to believe the picture shows an Israeli kicking [...] […]
  • FM Støre, Dr Mads, Syversen on the Bishops’ Boycott
    Norwegian Bishops have come up with the idea that boycotting Israel just might be a fine idea. Foreign Minister Jonas Ghar Støre is opposed to a boycott and says so in today’s Verdens Gang – Norway’s largest daily. Unauthorized translation: – It is good that the Church speaks out for the opprssed, but the Church’s main [...] […]
  • Editor slams Bishops’ Boycott
    DagenMagazinet For Vebjørn Selbekk “freedom of expression” is more than just words, as is “courage”. After publishing an article on the cartoon-war in 2006, he became embroiled in it himself, receiving only luke-warm support from the Norwegian intelligensia and political establishment as he stood up for his editorial right to publish news-stories on relevant […]

Is Aftenposten anti-Israel?

The Jerusalem Post recently described the Norwegian daily as being “viciously anti-Israel”. Aftenposten itself has not commented. Are there any facts to back JP’s allegation?

Volume of articles
According to this post “Jews on the brain” it most definitely is. In front of a trained eye however, the statistics of it falls apart a little. [...]

Aftonbladet continues to ignore criticism of Bostöm article

Swedish Aftonbladet has been ignoring criticism of Boström’s article for a long time now. Jan Helin, editor of Sweden’s largest newspaper even refuses to reply – see letters from Andrea Levin on CAMERA or below. 

It is characteristic of the state of affairs in Norway,  neighboring upon Sweden, that reactons are more visible in the Wall Street Journal See than they are [...]

the Economist and the Israel Lobby

Economist article on US-Israel affairs

Nobody can accuse the Economist of being insufficiently critical of Israel. In this week’s edition, in the article “Don’t give up”, it is claimed that “Mr. Netanyahu’s obduracy on settlements… in the long run threatens Israel’s very existence”. This sort of observation goes far beyond what most Norwegians would [...]

HRW under criticism from founder

The Jerusalem Post reports that HRW founder Robert L.Bernstein criticizes HRW for “helping those who wish to turn Israel into a pariah state.” Norwegian daily DagenMagazinet follows up on it. Other Norwegian newspapers, so eager to comment when HRW condemns Israel, remain silent on occasions such as this – actually Dagsavisen, a minor daily, covers [...]

Stanghelle on Norwegian-Israel relations

Aftenposten editor Harald Stanghelle comments on Lieberman’s latest criticism of Norway in an editorial headed “Spiraling disappointment” on October 6th, 2009:

It is not particularly credible when Israel’s foreign minister calls a conversation with Jonas Gahr Støre the most difficult one he has had [...]

10 percent of journalism-students support left wing-extremists

Rødt (Red)  is far left-of-centre. Two of their main people are Torstein Dahle and NORWAC doctor Mads Gilbert, both of which believe that operation Cast Lead was “the same as” (Dahle) or “worse than” the WWII atrocities in the Warsaw ghetto. Most Norwegians find Rødt just a bit too much to handle, far less vote [...]

Norwegian newspapermen cover Israel’s wars more than Norway’s war in Afghanistan

Norwegians are repeatedly told that Israel is criticised “like any other country”. We are told that Israel is only getting what’s coming to them, same as any other nation would if they did what Israel is doing, that Norwegian newspapers have due cause, an obligation even, to humanity… These are all bright, shining lies.

Norwegian newspapers [...]

TV2 alters webpage during PFU media complaints hearing

TV2's original article by Fredrik Græsvik, over which Manfred Gerstenfeld took TV2 to the PFU media complaints

Something very strange has recently happened. The article above, which is based on an interview, has been switched for the article below in a non-event most people will not even notice. Except for one thing: TV2’s original [...]

The left-wing and the media

American author Bruce Bawer makes some interesting comments on mainstream Norwegian media on his blog. Here is an excerpt:

Thursday, May 28, 2009, 5:49 P.M., CET: In yesterday’s Aftenposten, that paper’s culture and opinion editor, Knut Olav Åmås, ventured to say a couple of reasonably respectful things about me and my book [...]

Media covers Israel more than any other ME nation

The Norwegian anti-Israel lobby and the media repeatedly claim that Israel is being criticized just like “any other country”.  There is reason to doubt the validity of this claim. NIJ has a new woman onboard, Sophie, who in her line of work as a journalist has access to Retriever, a media analysis tool. Below we [...]

“Ageing, right-wing Israeli man” takes Norwegian star-journalist to task

On May 20th, seven Norwegian news sources run an NTB (Norwegian News Agency) article on how TV2 is taken to the The Norwegian Press Complaints Commission (PFU). According to Webavisen, a Norwegian news service, the news sources are: Demokraten Lokalt, Avisa Nordland, Stjørdalens blad, Finnmarken Lokalt, Bergens Tidende and Siste Lokalt. Before reading any further, please [...]

Spin

In an article in Klassekampen (Class struggle) on Monday May 11th 2009, journalist Sarah Sørheim writes an interesting piece on how
journalism and media-spin impacts upon politics. To what extent is her angle applicable to the manner in which the Norwegian media deals with foreign politics?

Media sacrifices ethics

When journalists scent a political scandal, ethical priciples [...]

Norway’s democratic deficit

The mass media of any nation holds a key role in the shaping of public opinion and thus influencing the political agenda. In this respect the situation in Norway is far from perfect. Here is an unauthorised translation from Verdens Gang, Norway’s largest daily, on May 5th 2009.

Journalists still do not vote for the Progress [...]

Business editorial states “There is a difference between Singalese and jews”

Dagens Næringsliv is Norway’s largest business daily. Yesterday many readers found the following editorial a refreshing change from the same-same of Akersgata (Norway’s Fleet Street):

Social commitment

The tragedy of Sri Lanka is entering its temporarily last act.

During the next few days the last little piece of land still controlled by the LTTE, the Tamil Tigers, will probably be [...]

Sri Lanka not as interesting as Gaza

Anti-Norwegian demonstration in Sri Lanka following the attack on Sri Lanka's embassy in Oslo. From VG. Photo by REUTERS.

Norwegian tamils demonstrated in Oslo again yesterday, this time outside the central government offices in Akersgata. This is the latest in a series of demonstrations which all look the same: hundreds and thousands of tamils marching [...]