– I experience this as a straw man debate started by the media. After all, we had a Majesty who is ill. Then we’ll get him home, whatever the cost. That is what Tom Myrvold, an officer in the Air Force, tells news. After the king was hospitalized in Malaysia, it was decided that the government should assist in getting the king home. On Sunday evening, the evacuation plane landed at Gardermoen. The king’s state of health and the journey home have received wide media coverage. While Aftenposten, for example, published the case that the plane is usually used to evacuate wounded Ukrainians, Nettavisen asked readers whether the king should have stayed at home. VG mentioned the hotel the royal couple is said to have holidayed at, and the broadcasting channel asked the prime minister questions about the price tag for fetching the king. INFECTION: King Harald is now admitted to Rikshospitalet, where he will have surgery to insert a permanent pacemaker. Photo: NTB On LinkedIn, Myrvold described the coverage as “so incomprehensible degrading” that he is ashamed on behalf of the nation. On Tuesday, he and several critics meet news, Nettavisen, Aftenposten and Dagbladet in “The Debate”. Myrvold believes the money issue contributes to a false impression of excessive use of resources. Tom Myrvold, head of business management F-35 in the Air Force, meets the media houses for a debate about the royal house coverage. Photo: Ksenia Novikova / news He runs as a private person, but still wears a uniform. – The king is our supreme warlord and general. For me, it is quite obvious to bring our head of state home when they are ill. The money is discussed afterwards, says Myrvold. Hilde Charlotte Solheim, former journalist, also responded to what she perceived as critical questions to the government. – This is petty and ridiculous teasing of an allegedly objectionable relationship. Photo: Ksenia Novikova / news From Stockholm, Johan T. Lindwall, editor-in-chief of Svensk Damtidning, also contributes to the debate. He says that such questions would never have been asked in Sweden – at least not so bluntly. – We would certainly ask questions, but not at this point. The focus should have been on getting the king home first. Marius Tetlie, specialist editor in news’s News Division, replies that it is ordinary, critical news journalism. – There is no other agenda than to present the case as broadly as possible. We then ask the questions that are relevant to the coverage, including who takes responsibility for the bill. Tetlie also believes that the media’s main focus has not been the costs, but the king’s state of health. This is also what Tone Tveøy Strøm Gundersen, news editor at Aftenposten, says. – When the king falls ill, there is an enormous need for information. If we do not bring facts to the table, speculation will arise. But even if we believe the price tag is relevant information, we see that the readers experienced this as less relevant, Gundersen admits.
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– A straw man debate – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
