Journalist Interviews Wrong Anne Holt, Leads to Apology and Correction from Newspaper

Klassampen printed on Saturday what was apparently an interview with author Anne Holt. But it soon became clear that it was not the author who had been contacted. On the contrary, it was a namesake who had been called.

In a Facebook post, the former Ap politician railed against the class struggle:

– She (the journalist) had called a number to SOMEONE or ANOTHER Anne Holt. She had interviewed her. This lady obviously has – unlike me – a particularly negative relationship with the digital world, Holt wrote, adding:

– I have never ever been so angry on my own behalf as this. I’m flying, jumping, crushing, killing pissed off.

At 3.40pm, Holt deleted the original Facebook post, where the journalist was tagged with his full name.

A few minutes later, Holt posts one new update. Here she writes that the post was deleted because the comment field was too ugly.

– I fully stand by everything I wrote there, and I thank you for your support. However, the comment field gradually became ugly, I was notified of this from several people. I have now deleted the entire post as I don’t have time to edit my wall in any way. I am still angry, writes Holt.

The editor: – I was shocked

On Facebook, Holt described how she called the newspaper’s editor Mari Skurdal on Saturday after she had discovered a case in the newspaper where she was quoted on a number of things she did not believe about Telenor’s online.no e-mail service.

Holt wrote that Skurdal promised to investigate the matter. It turned out that the journalist had called the wrong Anne Holt.

Klassekampen editor Mari Skurdal tells Nettavisen that the newspaper has worked to correct the error and apologize to those involved.

The interview is no longer available on Klassekampen’s website.

– We have taken down the matter and will make corrections before it is possibly raised again. There is no reason why we should not be able to publish the other interviews in the case, says Skurdal.

Skurdal says that she was shocked when the real Holt called her on Saturday morning. Then the process of finding out what had gone wrong began.

– When she called, I didn’t know anything about what had happened. I was shocked.

– How do you follow up the journalist who wrote the case?

– I have been in contact with her several times today, to make sure that she is doing well. This is probably not the funnest day in her life, exactly, says Skurdal.

– Comes with a death wish

Holt elaborated that Klassekampen’s journalist has never spoken to her. She also pointed out that there is information in the article that is directly incorrect.

– I am freely quoted with quotation marks and all about things I don’t mean, don’t think and have never expressed. Among other things, I get to make a pure death wish, the author wrote further on Facebook.

Holt also pointed out that her namesake has made statements in the interview that in no way represent her views.

– This lady obviously – unlike me – has a particularly negative relationship with the digital world. She throws up everything, and is so happy that she is so old that she will soon be done with life.