Several of TV 2’s most famous TV profiles use social media to post advertisements and advertisements for products.
“Good evening Norway” presenters, Marte Bratberg and Niklas Baarli are among these. Both have a large following on Instagram, with 138,000 and 59,000 followers respectively.
Among other things, Bratberg has advertised for bicycles twice on Instagram, and has also advertised for Honda, Gant and Klarna. Baarli has had commercial collaborations on photo prints and gaming PCs.
Campaigns mentioned the case first, and focused on the ads from Bratberg and Baarli.
– Problematic
Press expert, Gunnar Bodahl-Johansen reacts strongly to TV 2 allowing the channel’s profiles to enter into commercial collaborations.
– They build a brand by being profiled by TV 2, and then they will of course utilize their brand by selling themselves to the highest bidder in the commercial market. I think that is problematic. It helps to erase the distinction between commercial activities and program-creating activities, says Bodahl-Johansen to Dagbladet.
He continues:
– It has to do with credibility. We must be able to be allowed to watch television, without connecting the person performing with a commercial product, says Bodahl-Johansen.
Bratberg and Baarli have been presented with the criticism from Bodahl-Johansen. They do not want to comment on the case, and refer to TV 2.
Read the answer from TV 2’s press manager, Jan-Petter Dahl, further down in the case.
– Not in season
Another TV 2 profile that has had several commercial collaborations is former “Senkveld” presenter Helene Olafsen. On Instagram, she has close to 230,000 followers.
Since Olafsen started in “Senkveld” in the autumn of 2018, she has had ads for Go Surf, Lexus, GoPro and The North Face on her Instagram profile.
Olafsen points out to Dagbladet that she has not had commercial collaborations while “Senkveld” has been in season.
– It is part of my agreement, Olafsen says to Dagbladet.
She has been presented with the criticism, but does not want to comment on the matter further, and refers to the press manager of TV 2, Jan-Petter Dahl.
Olafsen’s former co-host in Senkveld, Stian Blipp, has also had several commercial collaborations on Instagram. He has 342,000 followers, and has advertised for Intel, Bodylab and COD Mobile, among others.
Dagbladet has since Monday repeatedly tried to get in touch with Stian Blipp. He has been presented with the criticism, but stated on Tuesday afternoon that he was busy. He has not responded to Dagbladet’s inquiries since.
The integrity and credibility of the press
In the press’ ethical regulations: The Be Careful poster, there are several points that deal with the integrity and credibility of the press.
2.2: «The editor and the individual editorial staff shall protect their independence, integrity and credibility. Avoid double roles, positions, assignments or ties that can create conflicts of interest or speculation about incapacity ».
2.4: “Editorial staff must not use their position to obtain private benefits, including receiving money, goods, or services, which may be perceived as compensation from outsiders for editorial benefits.”
2.6: Never weaken the clear distinction between journalism and advertising. It should be obvious to the public what commercial content is. The distinction must also be clear when linking or other connections. Reject commercial content that can be confused with the individual medium’s journalistic presentation.
Source: Be Careful poster
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Knitting badge, books and lectures
Dorthe Skappel, like Baarli and Bratberg, is associated with “Good evening Norway”. On Instagram, she has several times promoted her own knitting brand, Skappelstrikk.
Dorthe Skappel has been presented with the criticism, but does not want to comment on the case.
Kristoffer Reinsfelt Arnesen, host of TV 2, writes the following in an SMS to Dagbladet: “We at TV 2 do not, in principle, comment on individual agreements with our individual profiles.”
Dag Otto Lauritzen has also been associated with TV 2 for a number of years with programs such as “On tour with Dag Otto” and “Kompani Lauritzen”. In addition, he is the annual reporter for TV 2 during the Tour de France. He has also used Instagram to promote his own commercial services, hence his own books and lectures. He has also in some cases had posts marked with advertisements for Finish Line.
Dagbladet has been in contact with Dag Otto Lauritzen, and presented the criticism to him. He says that he is now very busy recording “Kompani Lauritzen”, and refers to TV 2.
– All natural
TV 2’s press manager, Jan-Petter Dahl, believes it is unproblematic for the profiles to enter into commercial collaborations.
– Bratberg and Baarli work in limited positions in TV 2, where they have a small fraction of positions. It is therefore only natural that they have other sources of income – among other things through sponsored posts on social media, Dahl tells Dagbladet.
Jan-Petter Dahl previously stated to Kampanje that in the case of limited positions in TV 2, it is unproblematic for the TV profiles to share sponsored content. In addition, TV 2 approves the collaborations.
– The limit goes here at least in that Bratberg and Baarli work limited positions. They have far from one hundred percent positions, so they also make a living in this way. We have no problem with that, Dahl told Kampanje.
At a permanent position, a new assessment had to be made, Dahl said.
He says that TV 2 approves the partners for the profiles.
– We approve the various partners and of course have a strong focus on none of the partners will come into conflict with the editorial work they do for us, Dahl says to Dagbladet.
As for Dorthe Skappel and Dag Otto Lauritzen, Dahl says:
– For both Dorthe Skappel and Dag Otto Lauritzen, their commercial activities in social media are pre-approved by TV 2.
About Blipp and Olafsen’s working conditions, Dahl answers:
– Both Stian and Helene had the opportunity to make commercial collaborations in the periods they were between seasons with “Senkveld” and these were continuously approved by TV 2.
– That profiles have different types of connection to the different media houses is nothing new in the media everyday life we all live in, Dahl concludes.
