The owners, the three northermost Norwegian counties of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, in May 2015 turned down BarentsObserver’s proposed formalization of the principles of the Duties of Rights of the Editor. That resulted in an outcry of protest from the newspaper staff.
On 28th September, the conflict escalated when the owners with immediate effect dismissed Editor Thomas Nilsen. The remaining journalists subsequently introduced a moratorium on the use of bylines.
The BarentsObserver Case has been widely commented on in the Norwegian media, as well as in a number of foreign newspaper.
On October 6th, Norwegian Foreign Minister commented on the situation, calling on the owners to let BarentsObserver get the indepedence needed for continued operation.
Underneath, we offer links to some of the pieces written about the situation in BarentsObserver.
Massive support to BarentsObserver, BarentsObserver.com, September 29, 2015
What will happen with BarentsObserver, BarentsObserver.com, September 29, 2015
Owners fire BarentsObserver editor, BarentsObserver, September 28, 2015
Owners clamp down on BarentsObserver, BarentsObserver.com, May 21, 2015
Owners: «No changes for BarentsObserver», BarentsObserver.com, May 22, 2015
Barents Press: Strongly regrets political control of BarentsObserver, BarentsObserver.com, May 22, 2015
Et lite stykke «Okkupert», Dagbladet, October 6, 2015
Den brysomme redaktøren, Sett Nordfra, October 2, 2015
Spark den som sparkes skal, Dagbladet, October 2, 2015
Eierne har totalt rasert BarentsObservers troverdighet i Russland, Avisa Nordland, October 1, 2015
Redaktør felt av Putin-plakaten, Dagbladet, September 30, 2015
En svært brysom mann, Nordnorsk Debatt, September 29, 2015
Ytringens pris, Sett Nordfra, September 28, 2015
BarentsObserver: På tide å avslutte muppet-showet. Og gjennomføre en lykkelig skilsmisse, Medier24, June 17, 2015
Line Fusdahl feilinformerte fylkestinget, Nordnorsk debatt, June 16, 2015
Leder APs Tomas Norvoll et skrekkvelde? 8445melbu.no, June 9, 2015
Kommentar: “Uro i Barentssekretariatet”. NRK, June 9, 2015
Redaktørplakaten for dummies og fylkespolitikere, High North News, May 28, 2015
To tanker kan av og til bli en for mye, VG, May 27, 2015
Norske politikere tar en Putin, VG Pluss, May 26, 2015
- Vel er Putin en skurk, men kanskje kan man lære noe av hvordan han håndterer media? Avisa Nordland, May 26, 2015
Ska BarentsObserver tystas? Gertfrost.se, May 22, 2015