Norway, funds and freedom


Norway’s media is state-funded, but enjoys high levels of independence and public trust reports Kristen Nadarajah


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t is no surprise that Norway once again tops the press freedom index, according to the leader of the Norwegian Union of Journalists (NJ), Dag Idar Tryggestad. For nine years running, Norway has topped


the World Press Freedom Index, published annually by Reporters Without Borders. Its score is high for all indicators – political, legal, economic, social and safety – reflecting a strong and stable environment for independent journalism. Norway’s media system offers a compelling case study in


how structural support, legal safeguards and cultural respect for journalism can combine to create trust. While no system is perfect, Norway shows that media freedom does not have to mean leaving outlets to fight or die in the market. Its success lies in thoughtful regulation, collective responsibility and steady investment in journalism as a democratic institution. Elin Floberghagen, secretary general of the Norwegian Press


Association, points to three key pillars. First is a wide diversity of media, in terms of both size and opinion. Second is an ethics code that applies to all platforms. Third, editorial independence is not just a principle – it is protected both in law and through binding agreements within the industry. With more than 200 outlets serving just over five million


people – roughly the population of Scotland – the country has a diverse ecosystem of local, regional and national journalism.


Cash and democracy The Norwegian Media Authority (Medietilsynet) plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy and diverse media landscape. It works to support plurality, transparency regarding ownership, media literacy and policy, and distributes state grants to media organisations. Norway’s 1814 constitution guarantees freedom of the press and freedom of expression and forms the legal basis for direct subsidies. The objectives of this funding are to preserve diversity of opinion, protect minority and regional outlets and


16 | theJournalist


reduce dependence on advertising revenue, which is seen as having a greater influence on editorial decisions than the state. A range of innovation grants support outlets, especially local or smaller ones, to digitalise and renew. Financial support from the state is often seen as a threat to


editorial independence, but in Norway the general view is that unfunded media is a greater issue. Public funding for the media is therefore embedded into the democratic framework. All Scandinavian countries have a tradition of public funding for the press. Although such funding is largely uncontroversial in Norway, some parties on the right, such as the Right Party (Høyre), in its manifesto for the 2025 parliamentary election, and the Progressive Party (Fremskrittspartiet), in its 2024 alternative budgets, have suggested making cuts to the funding.


Owners, big and small Despite Medietilsynet’s work on media plurality, ownership of Norwegian newspapers has become more concentrated and fewer outlets are independent, as opposed to being owned by a group. Around half of the 200-plus papers are owned by a media


group. There are three main organisations: Schibsted, Amedia and Polaris Media. However, grants are distributed to smaller


Norwegian Union of Journalists minimum freelance rates, April 2025 Type of work


How much to ask for Freelance minimum rates


Simple news/culture stories Features


Portrait interview Reviews Daily rate


Longer stories £561


£1792 £2016 £561 £561 £447


Estimated work time 1 day


4 days


4.5 days 1 day


7.5 hours 1 day


Minimum rates have been converted to sterling using average market exchange rates for 2025. Historically, the cost of living has been higher in Norway, but it is now comparable to that in the UK


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