Press Freedom and Globalisation - International Press Institute

Press Freedom and Globalisation
The problem is the law’s ambit which is supposed to be all public authorities at all
levels where very few organs are exempted. Earlier, sectors of limited openness have been
social authorities such as offices for child welfare, social security benefits, and health care
as well as authorities of foreign affairs and the military. 66
Public sectors in Scandinavian countries are in a process of privatisation. Typically,
public functions are reorganised into publicly owned limited companies or similarly run
along the principles of private sector, sometimes even in competition with other private
actors. Outsourcing of public services that can be provided by private actors is encouraged.
The purposes are to increase the efficiency of public service and to reduce size of public
sector. But the law’s principle of openness is not valid towards private sector. Therefore,
privatisation results in reduced access to public information concerning crucial processes
in a democratic society. 67
The press complains over how privatisation has reduced openness in public
authorities’ activities. In many single disputes, the decision is that publicly owned
companies have to accept public involvement even if these are organised as limited
companies, similar to private companies. 68 The actual proposal is to enlarge the scope of
openness to include private actors which are performing authority on behalf of the public
administration. The purpose is to maintain the principle of openness despite privatisation. 69
Compared to Norway, the scope of openness is larger in Swedish administration, and
smaller in Denmark. 70
66 Ibid., section 3.3.7.
67 Ibid., sections 6.2-6.4.
68 Ibid., section 6.2, in particular footnote 4.
69 Ibid., sections 6.8 and 6.9.2.2.
70 Ibid., sections 6.5.1 and 6.5.3.
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