Press Freedom and Globalisation - International Press Institute

Press Freedom and Globalisation
be the police’s need to know sources for solving a crime case. In Norway, the law gives
courts authority to claim knowledge about sources. However, the code of conduct does not
allow journalists to reveal any confidential source. In these cases journalists usually refuse
to give any information despite penalties. 91 Another issue is how editorial departments are
protected against a police search, similar to offices of lawyers and doctors. If the police
need a search they have to follow an arrangement together with the editor and then bring
the items to court. 92
Private actors have the possibility to harass media through use of courts or other
means. Civil proceedings against media are of course common in Scandinavia but these are
not considered serious problems. 93 Possibilities of compensations in civil libel cases are
relatively limited in Scandinavian laws. 94
The case study in this section digs deep into a matter where a private individual
tried to interfere with a newspaper’s coverage. Tensions among two gangs in Oslo resulted
in January 2001 in assassination of one person followed by great attention in the media.
Verdens Gang, the largest newspaper in Norway, published name and picture of the
suspected culprit. His brother then showed up at the newspaper office and demanded an
end to the coverage of his brother. A conversation with one of the journalists and a deputy
editor included threats, understood as serious threats of murder. Knowledge about the
gang’s capacity and weapons supported such an impression.
These serious threats ended up in court which decided that the purpose of the
threats was to stop the press’ negative reporting about his brother. Further, it stated: “In a
democratic society it is of fundamental importance to ensure a free and independent press –
not only towards the authorities, but towards individuals who are subject to close and
91 Eggen, Ytringsfrihet, pp. 314-344.
92 The Norwegian Government, “Straffeprosessloven”, Article 197, 198 and 200. This law is available in
Norwegian on: http://www.lovdata.no/all/nl-19810522-025.html, downloaded 28 th March, 2005.
93 International Press Institute, IPI Report 2003, pp. 194, 217 and 238.
94 Eggen, Ytringsfrihet, pp. 770-771.
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