News

Norway's first journal about narratives. Reports, investigative journalism and new grants for journalism

“Those of us who do not live in cities also deserve access to rich public discourse,” says Tora Hope, editor of Jaja, a new journal about narratives based in the village of Fjaler in western Norway. The student newspaper Universitas has received funding to examine the situation for freedom of expression at educational institutions, and photojournalist Nora Savosnick has been on a reporting trip to Israel and Palestine. See the new grants for journalism (list in Norwegian only).

Freedom of Expression and the War in Gaza

The Fritt Ord Foundation, Masahat for Arab Culture in Exile, and Vega Scene cordially invite the public to a conversation on Wednesday, 29 November 2023 from 6 – 8 p.m. at Vega Scene in Hausmanns gate 30, Oslo.

How to avoid deadlocked debates in permanent culture wars.

“It takes differences of opinion to have a debate. When the stakes are high, discussions pick up momentum, but a high level of conflict combined with an irreconcilable tone raises concerns about democracy per se,” says author and social geographer Anja Sletteland, who has earned a PhD in ‘deadlocked debates’. The controversy surrounding the NRK programme Brainwash got her interested in debates ‘that go bananas’, and in cancellations. Now she is writing a book about why this happens and how to avoid sliding into perpetual trench warfare, where no one listens to each other. See the grants that Fritt Ord awarded in October (list in Norwegian only).

Open debate and discussion: Male roles in Muslim communities

Fritt Ord’s project ‘Islam in Norway’ invites the public to an open debate and discussion on male roles in Muslim communities, with a special focus on the situation of boys. The event will be held on Thursday, 9 November 2023, from 6 to 7.30 p.m. in ‘Skramsalen’ at the House of Literature, Wergelandsveien 29, Oslo.

Fritt Ord-initiated media survey on 22 July nominated for award

The report Fritt Ord commissioned on the media coverage of the 22 July terrorist attacks from 2011 to 2022 has been nominated for the AMEC Awards.

Norwegian Journal of Photography #6 launched

For more than two years, seven photographers have explored doomsday dreamers, a forgotten grandfather, fast fashion, Moria refugees, trans families, northern Norwegian roots and ‘deep ecology photography’. On Thursday, 12 October, the sixth edition of the long-term documentary projects associated with the Norwegian Journal of Photography was presented at the Vega Scene venue during the Mirage Film Festival.

Masterclass med Michael Christopher Brown på MIRAGE Film Festival

Join us for a master class in collaboration with Norwegian Journal of Photography and Mirage featuring star photographer Michael Christopher Brown, where he will let us in on his latest AI projects and share the thoughts behind them. He will talk about how he works with AI technology, and the challenges it poses for photographers and the industry. This is a unique opportunity to hear from an expert and gain insights into the future of photography and technology

Friday, 13 October 2023, 7.30 p.m. – 9.00 p.m.
Vega Scene 1, Oslo

Major media outlets admit their mistakes in the Baneheia case

“We have failed,” wrote VG. “The courts are the last institution still held sacred by the press,” commented TV2. Many admissions and regrets were expressed when the report on the media coverage of the Baneheia case was presented at the Norwegian Press House on Tuesday.

Media and the Baneheia case

The Norwegian Press Association and Fritt Ord present a comprehensive report on the media coverage of the Baneheia case.

Bjørn Olav Jahr: Facts must always trump emotions

“Facts must always trump emotions,” stated author Bjørn Olav Jahr when he received the Fritt Ord Tribute on Monday.

Library support from Fritt Ord: Artificial intelligence is the trend of the year

Forty libraries have received funding to arrange debates on Norwegian non-fiction. “Artificial intelligence is the most recurring theme in the pile of applications this year,” reports Oskar Kvasnes. The funding, totalling NOK 2 395 000 is the second highest amount since Fritt Ord began calling for proposals for library activities in 2008.

Masahat: Decolonize the Gaze with Orwa Nyrabia

Decolonizing the documentary has been a recurring theme at IDFA, the world’s largest documentary film festival, since Orwa Nyrabia became the Artistic Director in 2018. Under his leadership, the festival has been tackling the difficult questions of representation, equity and inclusion.
Time: September 24, 4-6 PM
Place: Vega Scene, Oslo

"Journalist robots" to crunch big data about Tromsø's urban districts - new allocations for journalism

Artificial intelligence creates local journalism in Tromsø, Ukrainian refugees become journalists in Sarpsborg, and white men pushing 80 are also pushing podcasts. These are among the examples of new allocations for journalism awarded by Fritt Ord in August.

Fritt Ord Foundation Tribute to Bjørn Olav Jahr

Journalist and author Bjørn Olav Jahr (54) is awarded the Freedom of Expression Foundation Tribute for thorough and persistent journalism that uncovered a miscarriage of justice in the Baneheia case, and contributed to a preliminary conviction in the Birgitte Tengs case.

Riders of the Apocalypse, Facts about Tamokdalen, and new grants

Lene Berg’s film ‘Riders of the Apocalypse’, Håvard Fossum’s film ‘Facts about Tamokdalen’, Marte Heian-Engdal’s book about everyday life against the background of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Johanne Nordby Wernø’s book about getting diagnosed with autism as an adult are four of the many projects that received support from Fritt Ord in August.

The Fritt Ord Journalism Fellowship at Oxford for 2024

The Fritt Ord Foundation calls for applications for a 6-month journalism fellowship at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University in England, for a programme starting in January 2024. The deadline for applications is 12 noon on 4 September 2023.