The Jeremiad Over Journalism

that the United States is still the country that fosters most innovations to streamline the news
process from reporter to news desk and on to the reader.‖ 306
Døcker furthermore noted that vast differences between the Danish and American newspaper
marked complicated comparison, but admitted that ―it is from there that we obtain our new
electronic equipment, learn about the new methods and paths to modern newspaper production.‖
Døcker could report that the use of ―vdt (video display terminals)‖ with keyboards for journalists
were widespread in the United States, and thereby yielded ―fantastic advantages‖ in the editing
process. Additionally, a portable vdt which weighed nine kilograms had been developed by ANPA
and though that was heavy it could ―surely be enormously practical.‖
Døcker did, however, end his article by pointing to some places within the Danish newspaper world
where the use of technology was already beginning to crop up. According to Døcker, Politiken had
set up 24 monitors to use for administration, distribution and production, albeit not yet actual news
reporting, and Ekstra Bladet as well as BT were also highlighted in Døcker‘s article for their
entrepreneurial spirit in terms of technology,
―One should not think that everything American is fantastic and that we in Europe are
bunglers and bumpkins who only very slowly absorb anything of what is invented by big
brother on the other side of the Atlantic. BT and Ekstra Bladet, for instance, transfer the daily
newspaper every night through data-transmission to Kolding so that their Jutland edition is
printed on the mainland. The technology seems to resemble the one used by ‗Detroit
News‘.‖ 307
As is apparent from Døcker‘s text, the United States was the reference point for Danish journalists
in terms of technology and even when Danish technological advances were brought up they were
perpetually compared to American products or news outlets. A Nordic journalistic study trip to
306 Henrik Døcker, "Rejsen Til USA's Nye Teknik [The Trip to the United States' New Technology]," Journalisten,
November 1974. Page 20. My translation. Original text reads, ―fart er I sandhed noget der fordres i moderne
nyhedsformidling. USA er kendt for at ligge ikke bare ét, men adskillige hestehoveder foran Europa inden for dagabehandling,
så det kan ikke undre at USA fremdeles er det land, der fostrer flest innovationer til strømlining af
nyhedernes gang fra reporter til hovedredaktion og videre ud til læserne.‖
307 Ibid. Page 20. My translation. Original text reads, ―Nu skal man ikke tro, at alt amerikansk er fantastisk, og vi i
Europa er nogle klampehuggere eller bondedrenge, som først meget langsomt annammer noget som helst af det,
storebroder på den anden side af Atlanten har udfundet. BT og Ekstra Bladet overfører således hver nat ved datatransmission
deres daglige avis til Kolding, således, at deres Jyllands-oplag trykkes i hovedlandet. Teknikken synes i
flere henseender at minde om den, ‘Detroit News‘ har taget i brug.‖
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