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outlets and those carrying different opinions from those owned by larger media groups. Funding is relatively generous and, adjusted for inflation. The public pot has remained at a similar level since 1994; however, it is now split between more than 40 per cent more papers than it was in 1994. The financial security of media organisations is worsening, especially within local media and radio, according to Medietilsynet. While in countries such as the UK, multiple bodies and


varying standards govern print, broadcast and digital media, Norway has a one ethical code covering all media – the Vær Varsom-plakaten (the Be Careful poster). This ethical code emphasises the social role of the press,


integrity and credibility, journalistic conduct and publication rules. Because the code is unified and well known to the public, audiences largely understand what standards journalists are held to. Complaints are managed through the independent Press


Complaints Commission, which includes editors, journalists and members of the general public.


Pay and conditions Norwegian journalists benefit from robust protection, both legally and economically. Strong labour laws extend to freelancers, who are covered under the Working Environment Act (Arbeidsmiljøloven). This gives unions such as NJ more to bargain with. A healthier media can pay contributors more fairly, and


support freelances to demand fairer rates. Freelancers in Norway are among the best paid in Europe. NJ publishes its guidance on minimum rates of pay, using the salary of a desk journalist with 10 years’ experience (currently around £54,000) as a starting point. It also accounts for the added costs freelances bear. The suggested minimum day rate is £561, which covers 7.5 hours of work. That rises for longer, more complex pieces. A feature might land at £1,792 for four days’ work, while a big portrait interview has a suggested rate of at least £2,016. “Our members don’t always get the full rate,” says Tryggestad in an interview with Journalisten, the Swedish Union of Journalists’ magazine, “but it sets a cultural benchmark. Editors know what fair looks like.” He argues that flexibility benefits employers, so freelancers need to be compensated accordingly.


Trust and freedom The apple of the media’s eye is the publicly owned


“


The union’s suggested minimum day rate is set at £561, which covers 7.5 hours of work


broadcaster, NRK, the Norwegian equivalent of the BBC. Its mandate is not only to deliver strong political journalism but also to serve the public interest through news, culture and education. This includes a minimum amount of broadcasting in minority languages such as Sámi, spoken by indigenous people in the north of the country and dialects from across the whole country. Some 80 per cent of Norwegians trust NRK, according to the 2024 Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report survey. This is one of the highest figures globally for a national broadcaster, and makes NRK the most trusted media organisation in Norway. However, there are reasons not to take this relatively good press environment for granted. “We also need to be wary of how quickly press freedom can be dismantled,” warns Floberghagen. “We’ve seen it happen in other democratic countries. That’s why we must actively protect the free, independent and critical press we have in Norway.” Tryggestad also emphasises that, owing to the global decline in press freedom, “it is important that NJ and other Norwegian media organisations’ international engagement continues, whether through financial contributions to colleagues who are in difficulty or when authorities attack fundamental rights that hinder the free, independent press. “In Norway too, there are forces that want to weaken the


media’s framework conditions or restrict the media’s access to information or forums where decisions are made.” Floberghagen adds: “We are threatened by falling profitability, largely due to big tech which is increasingly taking a larger share of advertising revenue. “Young people are turning more towards social media and


less towards editorially controlled media as information channels, something we are working on improving every day.” As in other countries, digital platforms have eroded traditional income streams and readers, and ownership concentration is rising. Local newspapers are under pressure. The rise of social media and tech giants pose long-term threats, and it is becoming harder to maintain media autonomy from politicians. Floberghagen advises that it is important to build alliances


and that it can be helpful for those working in the media to come together and cooperate to make common demands towards authorities and others. In the end, what Norway proves is that state support for


journalism does not have to compromise media independence and is a means to invest in democracy.


theJournalist | 17


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