Norwegian version of this page
Completed project

Baneheia and the Media

What was the role of the press in the Baneheia case? To what extent did Norwegian media contribute to the 20-year delay before the verdict was overturned and Viggo Kristiansen was released?

Project period February 2023–December 2023
Project employers Norsk presseforbund, Fritt ord
Project nr. 10740
Project leader Kjersti Thorbjørnsrud

In collaboration with Fritt Ord (a Norwegian foundation for free expression) and the Institute for Social Research, the Press Association has initiated an examination of the press's role in the Baneheia case. The focus is on the media's coverage of the criticism of Viggo Kristiansen's verdict and the continuous demands for a retrial. The investigation is based on an analysis of media coverage, self-evaluations from the press, as well as in-depth interviews with media commentators and the key actors who, over the years, raised doubts about the evidences and worked towards reopening Kristiansen's case. The project will culminate in a report that provides an overview of the media coverage and highlights significant reasons for why the media covered the case as they did.

Publications

You'll find Thorbjørnsrud's article as chapter 3 "The Role of the Press in a Miscarriage of Justice" in in this Report..

Participants

Kjersti Thorbjørnsrud Research Professor +47 951 09 236 Send e-mail
Research topics: media
Published May 26, 2023 11:21 AM - Last modified June 10, 2026 11:46 AM