[Second reply from NRK to Ester Kristoffer's complaint to PFU, 01/09/2004. Source document: 1, 2. Norwegian original here. Back to blog: New PFU letter from NRK. -bs]

Case 84B/04 Ester Kristoffer and Karl Johan Hallaråker against NRK Dagsrevyen

Vi refer to earlier replies from the two complainants, and will add some points in addition to the reply we gave in the first round.

1) Ester Kristoffer writes that she wanted to know which parts of the interview with her which would be used. She was told this on the phone. Additionally, she writes that she "got a response that as a condition for the interview being aired, I had to approve of NRK's judgment, without getting insight into this."

With this she probably means the fact that we have made her aware that it is we who are responsible for editing and creating the report, something we take for granted. But she was told which parts of the interview with her we would use.

2) Kristoffer also refers to a passage in our last reply, where we wrote: "Kristoffer was made aware that she would be asked critical questions about the network's contact with the Norwegian [Israeli -bs] government, and would be asked a series of critical questions about how she could work for an occupation power." Kristoffer interprets this as if NRK Dagsrevyen thereby says that she is working for an occupation power and a foreign country, and believes this is a serious accusations.

Yes, if that was what we had done, it certainly would be. What we reflect through the phrasing of that question is that many will call Israel an occupation power. That's why for some people it might be controversial to work to further Israel's reputation and interests. A question like the one we used here is very common in order to present as many sides of the issue as possible.

3) The term network is used throughout the report. Ester Kristoffer uses it herself, and has no objections when our reporter uses the term. The term arose in a phone conversation between Ester Kristoffer and report Eirik Veum before the interview. Kristoffer has used words like "we are many who have come together" and the reporter asks how she would refer to the group. After some back and forth, the reporter asks if it can be called a network. Yes, that is what it is, replied Kristoffer.

The word network is, in our opinion, not a loaded but a descriptive word. It was not a word which was used to cast suspicion on anyone, but to describe what kind of a group this really was.

4) Kristoffer also writes about what she calls a "directed performance", where a sequence is made which shows Kristoffer walking into the group meeting. This took place after we had left the meeting. In TV journalism one often works this way, for practical reasons, to get pictures to cover the story. There were no hidden motivations for this, only practical considerations. When we arrived the meeting room, the meeting had already begun, and it was agreed with Kristoffer that this recording would be done afterwards.

5) We consider the main content of the reply from Kristoffer to be partly misunderstandings and claims, partly polemicism. This also goes for the reply from Karl Johan Hallaråker. Concerning the question of releasing the source material, and a possible financial compensation, we fail to see that this belongs in a complaint to PFU.

Finally:
Kristoffer refers in her reply to "journalist Veum's very young age". Eirik Veum is 29 years old, a very thourough and skilled journalist, who we have full trust in. He has worked thoroughly with this case, and we have been able to verify all his sources.

We stand with our conclusion from our first reply:
Ester Kristoffer and Karl Johan Hallaråker has not in any way been mistreated before the interview, during the interview, or during the editing of Lørdagsrevyen's report on Israel's supporters in Norway. On the contrary, we claim that we through this report focused onthe fact that work to improve Israel's reputation in Norway is growing, that there is a network which works for this where some members are anonymous, that the work has strong support in Christian groups, and that the groups that work for this cooperate with the Israel government.

NRK Dagsrevyen has not acted unethically.

Marienlyst 1. september 2004

Anne Aasheim
Director of news and regions