Year in Review: 2023’s Most Engaging Stories
As we draw the curtain on the news year of 2023, it’s fitting to take a moment for retrospection, looking back at the stories we’ve covered and what caught the most attention.
Snapshot of Norwegian Media and Communications
In this article, we’ve compiled the three most-read stories from each month, painting a picture of the events that unfolded within the Norwegian media and communications industry throughout a year that was far from dull.
Kampanje’s Wide Readership and Viral Content
Kampanje is a weekly read for approximately 100,000 people, covering a wide array of articles, big and small. Occasionally, Kampanje’s stories are picked up by other media or spread on social media platforms. One particular article in this overview was read over 100,000 times by itself. You can discover which one as you read on through our compilation.
Gratitude for the Audience and New Year Greetings
We express our thanks to you for reading Kampanje and wish you a Happy New Year!
January Highlights: Complaints and TV Celebrities
The new year of 2023 saw the complaint pile at the Broadcasting Council reach new heights, starting with a series of grievances about “The Evening Before the Evening” in January. The number of complaints would escalate further as a campaign against NRK’s coverage of the Supreme Court’s handling of the Acer case unfolded later in the year. January, also a major month for TV, had some of Kampanje’s most-read stories giving insight into which celebrities would be featured in the shows.
February: Controversies Around NRK and Influencers
In February, NRK’s chief had a challenging task defending the partnership with Sophie Elise and Fetisha Williams after the former posted an image on social media that raised eyebrows. It soon became evident that the collaboration did not serve the interests of either the national broadcaster or the influencer, a sentiment echoed by Kampanje’s Editor-in-Chief Knut Kristian Hauger in his commentary. The month’s most read story revolved around a royal-class influencer, Märtha Louise, and the ensuing challenge from Se & Hør Editor-in-Chief Ulf André Andersen following an interview the princess conducted with SVT.
March: Debates on Journalism and Corporate Changes
March had author Aslak Nore stir controversy with remarks on what was then called Twitter, during his visit to Dagbladet TV, accusing the paper’s journalists of “click baiting,” prompting a reply from the then-editor Alexandra Beverfjord. This sparked one of many discussions on the evolution of Dagbladet’s journalism. We also reported a veteran leader at TV 2, Bjørn Gunnar Rosvoll, leaving his position as Sales Director due to a whistleblowing case, although he remained with TV 2 in the leadership team under Olav T. Sandnes.
August: Job Transitions and Criticism of Politicians in Reality Shows
News about job transitions rarely headlines the most-read stories, but Lene Mykjåland’s return to football following her roles at NRK and Hill+Knowlton Strategies was widely read. Also, Guri Størvold, the head of Zynk, made headlines with her criticism of politicians participating in reality shows, specifically pointing out the disappointment with politicians like Hadia Tajik opting for the dance floor in “Skal vi danse” instead of dedicating their full capacity to politics. Tajik herself dismissed the criticism, claiming the right to dance in her free time.
September: Record Complaints Against NRK and Discussions on Media Coverage
Kim René Hamre, the leader of Youth Against EU, set a new record mobilizing a deluge of complaints against NRK for what was viewed as insufficient coverage of the Supreme Court’s hearing of the Acer case. The Broadcasting Council received nearly 6,800 complaints, with some council members agreeing with the critique of NRK’s reportage.
October: Major Cuts at TV 2 and Middle East Coverage Debates
News broke that TV 2 was set to cut about 400 million NOK, leading to staffing consequences. One of the first actions was a voluntary pension offer to employees over 60, which many of the channel’s high-profile veterans found unenticing. Additionally, debates were sparked by VG’s coverage of the Middle East.
November: TV 2’s Programming Changes and Documentary Controversy
November revealed the full extent of TV 2’s cutbacks, with 120 positions being eliminated, affecting nearly 50 current employees. A particularly interesting topic was the cancellation of several of TV 2’s current affairs programs. The story concerning the disappearing TV 2 programs became the year’s most-read story, with over 100,000 unique reads. NRK’s documentary series “Everybody Loves Bamsegutt” also became a hot topic, pulled off the air after just a week but not without stirring significant debate in the program “Debatten.”
December: Departures of TV 2 Personalities and Staffing Reductions
Numerous TV 2 profiles exited the channel in December, with the most media-covered and direct farewell on “God morgen Norge” belonging to former foreign correspondent Fredrik Græsvik. Others who left included Marte Lundgaard, Linn Wiik, and Øyvind Mund, to mention a few. As Christmas approached, TV 2 announced that they had nearly met their downsizing target, with about five positions remaining
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