Thursday, August 4, 2016

TV 2 is not seeking the interim announcement – still want to continue … – MyNewsdesk (press release)

TV 2 does not seek the announcement of a temporary public broadcaster deal. Chief Editor and CEO Olav T. Sandnes writes in a letter to the Ministry of Culture, TV 2 is ready to apply for a long-term agreement if it includes a balanced consideration such agreement has done since 1992.

TV 2 since its launch in 1992 built up a profile and a strong editorial environment as a commercial broadcaster with headquarters in Bergen. TV2′s identity and the contract with viewers is based on that TV 2 is an alternative to state broadcaster NRK. TV2 wants to pursue a model with two strong public broadcasters, in line with government and parliamentary majority objectives of media policy.

In the letter to the Ministry writes Sandnes that TV2 mean a long-term public broadcaster agreement must include the requirement that applicants must have a public broadcaster profile. TV2 also believes that an agreement with the Norwegian government still must include a consideration of the additional costs arising from public broadcaster the mission, as it has been since 1992.

– We choose not to apply for the announcement because we can not assume us extensive and expensive additional tasks in a challenging time like now, except they are followed by a quid pro quo. Public broadcasting is a mainstay of Norwegian media pluralism. An average Norwegian television viewer looks almost two hours daily on public broadcasting channels. Therefore, we believe that the government follows up on its own and Parliament’s objective to ensure commercial public service, so that we do not return to public broadcasting monopoly, says Sandnes.

Trondelag Research Institute has studied population media consumption. The study was published in June 2016 points to a worrying trend in which a growing proportion of the population consume little news and have little knowledge about the news. In this group is younger viewers, women and non-Western immigrants are overrepresented.

The survey also points to an important difference between TV2 and NRK newscasts. Both public service broadcasters hit wide population, but TV2 broadcasts have higher coverage among viewers who have moderate or low interest in the news and who barely consume news via other sources. TV 2 main channel has regular newscasts in sending surface is therefore very important for these population groups novelty access and opportunity to participate in the public debate.

– The main purpose of the establishment of TV 2 was to establish a real competitor to NRK. Norwegian citizens to have access to news, Norwegian culture and language from two public broadcasters have great value for media diversity, such survey Trondelag Research Institute shows the importance of. We reflect Norwegian society in a different way than NRK, but with the same high quality. That TV2′s headquarters is located in Bergen also characterizes news and program profile, and contribute to media diversity, says Sandnes.

In the announcement there is no valuable consideration of economic value to TV 2 despite the fact that there are large expenses associated having daily newscasts and headquartered in Bergen. TV2 believes that additional costs related public broadcaster the mission still to be covered, but not asking for state aid. When needed, the TV 2 ready to assist the Ministry to find a model which enables to separate these costs from the channel’s other costs. TV2 accepted in January 2015 to extend the current contract by one year, and have been waiting for a political clarification.

– TV2 is like other media companies in a very difficult time. We should cut 350 million kroner in the coming years and renew us in a number of areas. The responsibility to meet the significant changes in the media industry, we obviously myself, but additional costs arising from the obligations of a public broadcaster mission we can not accept, says Sandnes.

He also assures viewers that TV 2 will continue delivering attractive content to the Norwegian public.

– We will continue to devote all our energies to present an as good as possible content to viewers. Although the agreement with the government expires on January 1, our main contract continue, the daily contract with viewers. The Government’s white paper “Open and illuminated” by Linda Hofstad Hell’s predecessor, Thorhild Widvey came the positive signals. The message and the broad settlement in Parliament to facilitate that we can now obtain the necessary clarifications to ensure commercial public service, eliminating NRK no longer has a real contender and challenger, says Sandnes.

Attachments: letter to the Ministry of Culture

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Requests the interview with TV2′s CEO Olav T. Sandnes can be addressed to Communications Advisor Johanne Viken Sandnes mail: johanne.vikensandnes@tv2.no or telephone 959 21 208

TV 2 is Norway’s largest commercial TV channel, and is part of the media group TV 2 is behind a number of established brands TV2 news channel, TV 2 Zebra, TV 2 Lifestyle, TV 2 Sport, TV 2 Humor, TV 2 Sumo, TV2.no, TV2 Mobile TV 2 School and OB Team.TV 2 is part of Egmont, which is a Scandinavia’s biggest media group with 6,300 employees and activities in 30 countries. TV2′s own Egmont is a foundation, and Egmont Fund annually presents over 100 million to a better life for children and youth. Egmont is behind more than 700 magazines, publishing, Klikk.no, Nordisk Film, cinema operation, as well as several joint ventures.

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