Stipends 2016

June 17 2016

PRESS RELEASE
Oslo, 17 June 2016

For the second time, the Fritt Ord Foundation has awarded critics 10 grants of NOK 200 000 each. “We received some 50 applications, and they were of high quality”, reports Georg Fr. Rieber-Mohn, chair of Fritt Ord Foundation’s Board of Trustees. The new grant scheme began last year and will run for three years. The total allocation is MNOK 6.

The 10 being awarded a one-year grant are Gaute Brochmann (architecture), Lars Elton (pictorial art and architecture), Guri Fjeldberg (literature), Anki Gerhardsen (dramatic art and pictorial art), Merete Røsvik Granlund (literature), Jon Inge Faldalen (film and TV), Frode Johansen Riopelle (literature), Sandra Lillebø (literature), Pål Gerhard Olsen (literature) and Silje Stavrum Norevik (literature).

Three of the recipients also received grants last year (Brochmann, Gerhardsen and Norevik). The Fritt Ord Foundation has given priority to critics who deliver reviews to daily and weekly media. One of the critics writes for Dagbladet, one for Avisa Nordland, one for Aftenposten, one for Dagsavisen and VG, one for Dag og Tid, one for Morgenbladet, two for Morgenbladet and Klassekampen, and two for Bergens Tidende. The critics who have been awarded grants also write in journals such as Bokvennen, ArkitekturNytt, barnebokkritikk.no, littkritikk.no, Prosa, etc.

“Criticism is an indispensable, but exceptionally hard pressed segment of Norwegian journalism”, comments Fritt Ord Foundation Executive Director Knut Olav Åmås. “From this perspective, the grant scheme is an attempt to help the critics remain strong, independent voices, and to contribute to their professionalisation and allow them to focus more on reviews that are important for the general public”, he says.

The grant programme for critics is just one of many initiatives Fritt Ord has taken to strengthen journalism in Norway.

For more information, please contact Knut Olav Åmås by email at: knut.olav.amas@frittord.no

News

Call for nominations: Free Media Awards 2025

March 14 2025

In collaboration with the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS of Hamburg, the Fritt Ord Foundation has allocated the Free Media Awards annually since 2004 to Eastern European journalists and media that defy every obstacle to tirelessly ensure independent press coverage. Russia’s war against Ukraine and the subsequent wave of disinformation clearly demonstrates the need for independent reporting in the region. Journalist, editorial teams and media companies in and from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine and Hungary who make a contribution to press freedom through their investigative, independent reporting can be nominated for the Free Media Awards.

Civitates' Tech & Democracy open call

March 6 2025

Civitates – The European Democracy Fund is a pooled philanthropic fund that was set up in 2018 for the sole purpose of addressing democratic decline and closing civic space in Europe. The case for confronting these threats is growing increasingly urgent. Fritt Ord Foundation is one of the initiators and partners of Civitates.

Civitates has launched its Tech and Democracy open call to support organisations working to ensure safer, more inclusive online spaces (social media platforms, search engines etc.) by improving the enforcement of EU tech regulations at the national level.

This open call offers a unique opportunity to strengthen civil society’s role in holding the tech sector accountable, with a focus on key EU regulations such as the Digital Services Act, GDPR, AI Act or the European Media Freedom Act to name a few.

Norwegians increasingly more positive to computer games

March 5 2025

Norwegians are increasingly more positive to accepting computer games as culture

About 17 per cent have developed a more favourable view of computer games over the past year. Six of ten play computer games, and one of three plays computer games weekly. At the same time, computer games are ranked as having lower status than books and music, for example.
“Computer games deserve more attention and discussion”, contends Joakim Lie of Fritt Ord.

– Computer games are also art

March 4 2025

“The problem with far too many media reports about computer games is that they start begin with sentences like: ‘computer games have come a long way since Pac-Man’,” sighs American computer game critic Jacob Geller.

“Let us first simply agree that computer games are indeed an art form and an expression of culture, and then let us examine the works as part of the history of art and culture.