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Helsinki Edition About Us |
Sweden goes tabloid Swedish papers, even the weekly "gossip magazines", have always had a tradition of moderation in their writing. But no more. It all started in the summer of 1998, when Tua Lundström became editor-in-chief of the magazine Se&Hör. The magazine was fighting a falling circulation and heavy losses. Under Lundström, Se&Hör has repeatedly crossed the boundaries of press ethics in Sweden. The most startling event happened this autumn, involving a Swedish celebrity couple: singer Carola and her husband Runar Sögaard, a controversial preacher. Having just become parents, the couple signed a contract with the paper. Se&Hör was granted exclusive pictures of the baby, as well as coverage of its christening. In return, the couple was paid 225.000 kronas (roughly £20.000). "This way we thought we could protect the child from too much exposure, and avoid the paparazzi", Sögaard later explained. However, when the christening arrived, the reporters were told they weren't welcome. According to Sögaard, the paper had already broken the contract by showing pictures of the baby too many times. Se&Hör answered by printing part of the contract, along with a sarcastic article about Sögaard. The front page headline said "Runar the Preacher sold his child for 225.000!" Lundström wrote an editorial, complaining about the debate surrounding paying for news. "Most papers pay for tips that result in an article. This is almost never criticized. But when a paper pays a person to take part, the double standard moralists immediately raise their voices and shout 'fie!'. But what's the real difference?". She went on to say that the paper would be more restrictive with "cheque-book journalism" in the future. Since then, Se&Hör has caused even more debate, publishing nude celebrity pictures on the front page and allegedly giving up fact-checking altogether for the benefit of headlines. In the TV show "Aschberg" several Swedish celebrities protested about untrue stories being spread by the magazine. Whether Se&Hör's new approach will sell any more copies remains to be seen. Mattias Källman |
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