The Norwegian Media Authority ( no, Medietilsynet) is a Norwegian government agency subordinate to the Ministry of Culture and Equality charged with various tasks relating to

broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began ...

, newspapers and films. It enforces rules on content,

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

and sponsorship for

broadcast media Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began ...

, rates

movies A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, administers newspaper production grants and enforces rules on media ownership.

Activities

The authority's tasks include * rating movies * enforcing rules on content, advertising and sponsorship for broadcast media; handling license applications for local broadcast media * handling applications for newspaper production grants for non-leading newspapers, minority language newspapers and

Sami Acronyms * SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft * Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company * South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise net ...

newspapers * overseeing and intervening against the acquisition of media ownership (either prohibiting the acquisition or merger, or allowing an acquisition on such conditions as the Authority sets, including ordering the

divestment In finance and economics, divestment or divestiture is the reduction of some kind of asset for financial, ethical, or political objectives or sale of an existing business by a firm. A divestment is the opposite of an investment. Divestiture is ...

of other media ownership interests.

History

The agency was established 1 January 2005 by merging three government agencies: * Norwegian Board of Film Classification (''Statens filmtilsyn''), which was in charge of rating movies. * Norwegian Media Ownership Authority (''Eierskapstilsynet''), which oversaw media ownership. * Mass Media Authority (''Statens medieforvaltning'', SMF), which had tasks related to broadcasting and newspapers. The new authority was located in

Fredrikstad Fredrikstad (; previously ''Frederiksstad''; literally "Fredrik's Town") is a city and municipality in Viken county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad. The city of Fredrikstad was founded in 1 ...

from 20 March 2006, where the Mass Media Authority already was located, but in a new building. In 2003, the agency was moved from Oslo to

from 20 March 2006, where the Mass Media Authority had been located. This was a program along with six other directorates and inspectorates which were move out of Oslo, which had been initialized by Victor Norman, Minister of Government Administration and Reform of the Conservative Party. It cost 729 million

Norwegian krone The krone (, abbreviation: kr (also NKr for distinction); code: NOK), plural ''kroner'', is currency of the Kingdom of Norway (including Svalbard). Traditionally known as the Norwegian crown in English. It is nominally subdivided into 100 ' ...

(NOK) to move the seven agencies. An official report from 2009 concluded that the agencies had lost 75 to 90% of their employees, mostly those with long seniority, and that for a while critical functions for society were dysfunctional. No costs reductions had been made, there was no significant impact on the target area, and there was little impact on the communication between the agencies and the ministries. In a 2010 report, Professor Jarle Trondal concluded that none of the agencies had become more independent after the move, despite this being one of the main arguments from the minister. Norman successor, Heidi Grande Røys of the Socialist Left Party, stated that the moving had had an important symbolic effect on the target areas, and that she did not see the lack of advantages as a reason to not move similar agencies later. The first director of the agency was Tom Thoresen, who was succeeded in 2017 by

Mari Velsand Mari Velsand (born 1968) is a Norwegian government official and journalist, and the current director of the Norwegian Media Authority. Career Velsand graduated in journalism at the Norwegian Journalist College in 1992, studied Spanish at the Univ ...

Rating system A rating system can be any kind of rating applied to a certain application domain. They are often created using a rating scale. Examples include: * Motion picture content rating system Motion Picture Association film rating system Canadian m ...

Current ratings

Former ratings

Prohibited content

From 2004, classification of films to be viewed to persons aged 18 or more were no longer required. If a distributor choose to register a film without classification, the film distributor will be criminally responsible if the film has content prohibited by Norwegian law. Contents that are prohibited in films and other entertainment media in Norway are: *

Child pornography Child pornography (also called CP, child sexual abuse material, CSAM, child porn, or kiddie porn) is pornography that unlawfully exploits children for sexual stimulation. It may be produced with the direct involvement or sexual assault of a chi ...

Pornography Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults,

(with exceptions) * improper use of grave depictions of violence for entertainment purposes.

References

External links

*
Film ratings database

Local television licenses

Local radio licenses

The Media Directory
��who owns what in Norwegian media {{authority control Media Authority Regulation in Norway Motion picture rating systems Communications authorities Entertainment rating organizations 2005 establishments in Norway Companies based in Fredrikstad Censorship in Norway Government agencies established in 2005