Verdens Gang (VG Norge) - 29 Stories

1) Finanskrisen truer OL-landsby (ESPEN SOLBAKKEN) 13 January 2009
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=535804
This story is an excellent example of the guessing and assuming that takes place about Canada, Canadians, and Canadian culture by some Norwegian journalists. It's an excellent example of how some Norwegian journalist seem confused about the currency used in Canada; and either guess or assume we use American money as Canadian currency. In this story about the 2010 Winter Olympics taking place in the Canadian city of Vancouver in western Canada, the journalist writes about the effect of the financial crisis on the Olympic village currently being constructed in Vancouver. This is a Canadian story, quoting Canadian officials, taken from AP using Canadian currency amounts, where for some reason the Canadian currency amounts in the story are guessed as being the USA's currency and converted with the USD-NOK exchange rate, instead of the correct CAD-NOK exchange rate. In the story the journalist writes: "Kostnadsrammen på seks milliarder (820 millioner dollar), fordeler seg på 4,5 milliarder i rene byggekostnader, en snau milliard i tomteverdier, mens resten på omlag 700 millioner kroner skal være kostnadsoverskridelser." The amount of $820 million as stated is in Canadian currency, afterall the Olympics are being held in Canada, so natuarlly that is the working currency of Canada. The $820 million Canadian converts: 820 million CAD x 5.83NOK = 4.78 millarder NOK, not "seks (6) millarder as the journalist writes. He is wrong by 1.25 millarder NOK. In addition, the cost overruns of $103 million Canadian currency, converts $103 million CAD x 5.83NOK = 600 million NOK, not the "700 millioner kroner" the journalist writes. He is wrong by 100 million NOK. How is it that a Norwegian journalist reporting about an Olympic financial story from Canada, can be so wrong by using the wrong foreign currency for Canada? It's unbelievable to think some Norwegians think we use the USA's money in Canada when Canada has its own currency. This would be like a Canadian journalist writing about a cost overun in the Lillehammer Olympics using the Swedish Crown or EURO.
2) Betalte 300 000 for å være Dalys caddy (Kristian Holli) 31 July 2006
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=125058
In this story the Norwegian journalist has taken a Canadian story about a charity golf game in Canada and for some odd reason uses a foreign currency (USD-NOK) exchange rate to convert the Canadian currency amount into Norwegian Crowns (NOK). The charity golf game took place in the country of Canada; the amount of $51,000 dollars is in Canadian currency (CAD$), but for some reason the journalist used the USD-NOK currency exchange rate (a foreign currency not used in Canada) to convert the Canadian money. The amount listed is $51,000 in Canadian currency, which is: $51,000 CAD$ dollars x 5.45NOK for the Canadian exchange rate = 277,950 NOK. The journalist wrote 314,000NOK, a difference of 36,050 NOK. In addition, the total charity amount in the story was $67,000 Canadian dollars which is 365,150 NOK. The journalist wrote "innbrakt nærmere 400 000". How does a Canadian story, from Canada, with Canadian money, from a Canadian newspaper, somehow get converted with the USD-NOK currency exchange rate when the currency and the story is not from the USA? Why would a journalist use a foreign exchange rate for Canadian currency? This would be like a what a Canadian journalist using the Swedish Crown or Euro exchange rate to convert the Norwegian Crown, from a story taking place in Norway. Do some Norwegian journalists actually think Canada uses the USA's currency?
3) Afghansk popstjerne drept etter konsert (CATHERINE IGHANIAN) 10 May 2005 http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=276761
Although there is nothing technically wrong with this story, it is uncertain where it takes place. The Norwegian journalist just writes "Vancouver", but where is Vancouver? Are Norwegians that well informed about Canadian cities and Canadian geography that they will automatically know where Vancouver is located? There is a Canadian city of Vancouver (located in the Province of British Columbia) in western Canada, and there is also an American city called Vancouver, in the USA, in Washington state. Which one does she mean? Which country is she referring to? This would be like a Canadian journalist just writing the name of the city of Bergen, and not mention the country. Would most Canadians know what country that's in?
4) Destiny's Child sammen i studio (Catherine Gonsholt Ighanian) 9 August 2005
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=286257
In this story the Norwegian journalist writes about the city of Vancouver. The country the city is located in is not mentioned. There are two cities in the world with the name Vancouver. One is in Vancouver, in Canada, and the other is Vancouver, in the USA. In an e-mail to the journalist it was asked which country was she referring to in her story, as it was not clear with the name. In a reply she writes, "Vancouver, USA.", but that is wrong. The city in the story is actually the city of Vancouver, Canada. Was it just a guess? There are hundreds of stories in the Norwegian press that mention several different Canadian cities of all sizes and locations within the various provinces of Canada, and yet Canada is never mentioned. Are Norwegians so well informed about Canadian geography that adding in a reference to Canada is not necessary, or do most Norwegians just guess, think, or assume it's the USA? It seems that is not helping give full context to the story, which doesn't benefit the Norwegian reader. The reality is that Canadian cities are less likely to be identified as Canadian in the Norwegian press than cities from countries in the U.K. Australia, and USA. Most Norwegian journalists are in fact not well informed about the location of many Canadian cities, and out of this ignorance (and perhaps some laziness) make little effort to clarify the proper country. The other reality of the Norwegian method of reporting on Canadian stories is often through USA news media publications, not Canadian sources. The Norwegian press often picks-up a story about Canada from American news publications (i.e. CNN, etc.) that makes no reference to Canada in it (i.e. Vancouver, British Columbia or Toronto, Ontario) and then reprint the stories in the Norwegian press without adding Canada or changing the facts to Canadian. Often, there's just an assumption made because it's from a USA news source, it is in the USA. In many USA written stories about Canada, most American journalists will take the Canadian story and "translate" the Canadian details for the benefit of American readers. For example, they will change the Canadian currency to USA currency, change the metric measurements to the British Imperial system (i.e. miles, pounds, temperature, etc). As a result, USA converted stories are then reproduced in the Norwegian press with an American perspective, which doesn't always keep the details Canadian. If Norwegian journalists are going to follow a Canadian story, there are hundreds of Canadian media outlets they could follow the story from - why use a USA media source for a Canadian story, especially major Canadian stories? This does not help to better inform the Norwegian reader, not give a complete story. It would be like Canadian journalists reporting about Norwegian news following through the German or Swedish media.
5) Dristig Rihanna vant favorittpris (CATHERINE GONSHOLT IGHANIAN,
In this story about the Canadian MuchMusic Video Awards (Canada's version of the MTV Video Awards) in Canada the journalist gives a listing of the prize categories, but decides to exclude the Canadian prize categories. She writes:
"Her er vinnerne i hovedkategoriene:
Beste video: Kardinal Offishall f. Ray Robinson - Everyday
Beste regi: Kardinal Offishall f. Ray Robinson - Everyday
Beste cinematografi: Buck 65 - Devil's Eyes
Beste popvideo: Massari - Be EasyMuchLOUD
Beste rockevideo: Nickelback - Photograph MuchVibe
Beste rappevideo: Classified - No Mistakes
Beste uavhengige video: Metric - Poster of A Girl
MuchMore Music Award: Michael Buble - Save the Last Dance for Me
Beste internasjonale video-artist: Rihanna - S.O.S.
Beste international videogruppe: Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends
Beste internasjonale gruppe: Fall Out Boy - Dance Dance
Beste internasjonale artist: Kelly Clarkson - Because of You"There are 16 categories at the MuchMusic Video Awards, and all are listed except the three Canadian categories - Favourite Canadian Group, Favourite Canadian Artist, and Best French Video, they have been deleted. In this story (important enough to be covered by VG, but not important enough to cover the Canadian content) the journalist is reporting about the largest Canadian music video awards event in Canada, in Canada's largest city of 4.5 million people, watched on Canadian television by millions of Canadians, and somehow the awards given by Canada's MuchMusic to Canadians are not worth mentioning in her story. The categories of: * Favourite Canadian Group* Favourite Canadian Artist * Favourite French Video. These are all important and major categories at the MuchMusic Video Awards show and to millions of Canadians that watch MuchMusic. Why is omitting Canadian content, or not recognising Canada and Canadians, or not giving credit to Canada, Canadians, and Canadian culture in the Norwegian press stories so common? Why write about a Canadian awards event if you're just going to delete the Canadian awards? It's like reporting on the Olympics taking place in Norway and not bothering to mention the Norwegians that won the medals. Why do the British, Australians, and Americans get such better coverage of their music and culture in the Norwegian press than Canada and Canadians? Is Canadian culture not as good in the mindset of Norwegian Press? Why are Canadians so often not credited for being Canadian in the Norwegian press and Norwegian websites, when British, Australians, and Americans get their reference for being who they are? And, why are Canadians so often referred to as being Americans in the Norwegian press? NWM has seen Canadians such as William Shatner, Jim Carrey, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Pamela Anderson, Kiefer Sutherland, Celine Dion, David Foster Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, and so many others reported as Americans, Australians, or from France. This happens in the Norwegian press more to Canada and Canadians more than any British, Australians, or Americans. Why? Even when Canadians like Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Pamela Anderson, David Foster, Henry Larson, and so many others receive the highest recognition or award in Canada for their contribution to Canadian culture and society, it is rare if ever reported. Yet, their achievements in foreign countries like the USA and Britain are often reported. When Canadians do well at home in Canada for their own country, why is there no mention in the Norwegian press? Are Canadians seen as boring when in Canada, and only seen as exciting outside of Canada? It seems there is a double standard in the Norwegian press when it comes to reporting on Canadians and Canadian achievements.
6) VG Nett / Rampelys / Filmdatabase / Het Ungdom
http://interaktiv.vg.no/filmextra/film.php?id=5098On VG's site the movie Porky's is listed as "Amerkansk" as the nationality. That is wrong. The movie is a Canadian film, with Canadian actors (including Canadian actress Kim Catrell), and until 2006, also the second top grossing English speaking film in Canadian history. The plot and location may take place in the USA, but this is a Canadian film.
7) 20 personer skadet i skoleskyting i Canada (By INGUNN ANDERSEN, &
In this terrible story the journalists make two mistakes. They write: "største skolene i delstaten Quebec" and "Minst 13 personer skal være fraktet til sykehus, tre av disse er kritisk skadd, sier fransk politi under en direktesendt pressekonferanse onsdag kveld." Quebec state? French police? Québec is a province in Canada, not a state. We do not have states in Canada. In Canada, like France, China, Afghanistan there are provinces, not states. Canada uses the French system of provinces since New France was proclaimed a Royal Province of France in 1663. Why would a Norwegian journalist use an American term and political system for Canada? In the other mistake they write: "sier fransk politi." We don't have police from France in Canada. Why would a journalist write that we have police from France in Canada? The police in French speaking part of Canada are French speaking Canadians, so to be correct the proper term is Canadian. Canada was originally a French colony of France, and when Canada became part of the British Empire after the Seven Years War in 1763 the two largest European ethnic groups in Canada today are French speaking Canadians and English speaking Canadians. We are all Canadians, but the two largest groups are French-Canadians (Canadians that speak French - ca. 1/3 of Canada, and more than double Norway's entire population) and English-Canadians (Canadian that speak English - ca. 2/3 of Canada). Montreal is the second largest French speaking city in the world after Paris, so the majority of people living there are French speaking Canadians, not from France as this journalist writes. How do mistakes like these happen? Are journalist not supposed to confirm their facts before they write their stories? What source did these journalists use that referred to Quebec as a "state"? None of the other international coverage called Quebec a "state" or referred to the Montreal police as being from France. After e-mailing the journalist the corrections were made. In asking the journalist what source she used that identified Quebec as a "state"; she wrote that there was "no source." If that is the case, a guess or an assumption was made that we have states in Canada and that was published in the story without confirming the facts. If Norwegian Media Watch did not contact the journalist it's possible these errors would still be in the story. It is easy to see how the Norwegian media helps to contribute to misunderstandings about Canada and Canadians with Norwegian public. Think how many people read these mistakes, and never the corrections? The story has now been corrected.
8) Fisk, skodde og historie (Submitted By FRED LIEF to VG) 30August 2006
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=127989
In this well written and story about the province of Nova Scotia in Canada the writer makes two errors. One is a small error referring to "Fundy Bay" which is actually called the Bay of Fundy. In the second mistake he writes: "som akadierne - fransk-amerikanere - tekket tak med." This is not correct. The Acadians are not "French-Americans" as he writes, but are "French-Canadians." The Acadians are French speaking Canadians living in what is today the province of Nova Scotia, in Canada. Take from Wikipedia:
"The Acadians (French: Acadiens) are the descendants of the original French settlers of parts of the northeastern region of North America comprising what is now the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Although Acadians and Quebecers are both French-Canadian, Acadia was founded four years prior to the founding of Quebec and in a geographically separate area. Furthermore, Acadians to a great extent hail from different parts of France than do M>Quebecers. Consequently, the two have formed distinct cultures."
Americans are the people living in the USA, and of course Acadia and Nova Scotia are located in Canada. French is an official language of Canada and there are more French-Canadians in Canada than Norway and Denmark's population combined. This is an excellent example of the difficulty Norwegians have in seeing Canadians as "Canadians." Why are Canadians so often referred to as "Americans" in the Norwegian press and in Norway? In comparison, it is hard to see in the Norwegian press Norwegians referring to Mexicans as "Americans" or "Spanish-Americans" or Brazilians as "Americans" so why are Canadians so often referred to "Americans" in Norway? Why is Canada the only country on either one of the two continents on this side of the Atlantic Ocean that is treated this way in Norway? Why does a Canadian travelling in Norway get constantly asked "Are you American?" How often does a Mexican or Brazilian get asked "Are you American when travelling in Norway? Let's face reality, when most Norwegians hear the word "American" they are not thinking of Brazilians or Mexicans, but yet referring to Canadians as "Americans" in the Norwegian press doesn't see to be a problem. See the story below for an example.
9) Klarte ikke verdensrekorden (By KRISTINE ELSHAUG) 15 January 2003
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=5234543
In this story the Norwegian journalist writes, "Denne amerikaneren satte onsdag ny verdensrekord." That is wrong. The man is a Canadian from Winnipeg, Canada and NOT an American. How can the man be an American when his nationality is Canadian and he is from Canada? The story was later corrected to state: "Denne mannen fra Canada." Why wasn't it just changed to "Denne canadianeren"? In addition, one mistake still remains in the story, under the picture of the Canadian man it states: "VERDENSMESTER: Brent Moffatt fra USA tok onsdag ny verdensrekord i piercing." Brent Moffat is a Canadian from Winnipeg, Canada, NOT from the USA. How does this kind of lazy journalism take place? From all the stories posted on the Norwegian Media Watch website, it is clear there is a problem in the way some Norwegian journalists see Canada. And many don't research their stories, and don't confirm their facts before they print. What Norwegian would not be bothered to read in a Canadian newspaper about the Nobel Peace Prize from Stockholm, Sweden, or Berlin Germany? The journalist corrected the one mistake in the text and didn't bother to correct the mistake below the picture.
10) Blir syk på tross av vaksine October 2004
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=250839
In this story that mentions the province of Ontario in Canada, the Norwegian journalist writes "delstaten Ontario." State?? The province of Ontario is in fact a province and not a "state" as this journalist has written. Canada has been using provinces since 1663 when Canada became a Royal Province of France. Countries like Canada, China, Afghanistan all have provinces. Why would this journalist use an American term in reference to Canada? The mistake has never been corrected. Eveb after e-mailng the journalist the mistake has never been corrected. The Norsk Presseforbund states mistakes should be corrected. They are journalistic guidelines in Norway.
11) Antibiotika til spedbarn kan gi astma Tina Oppen) 19 June 2007
http://www1.vg.no/helse/artikkel.php?artid=141593
In this story the Norwegian journalist writes: "(VG Nett) Barn som blir behandlet med antibiotika i løpet av sitt første leveår har en økt risiko for å utvikle astma, viser en ny amerikansk undersøkelse." This is wrong. The study she calls American is not American; it is a Canadian study from the University of Manitoba in Canada. Why would a Norwegian journalist take a Canadian study and change it to call it American? A guess? This story is an excellent example of how Norwegians often guess or assume that stories about Canada reported in the international press are from the USA. Is this journalist that informed about Manitoba and it's location to say it is in the USA or was it just a guess? Many Norwgeian journalists seem to be so confident of their geography to just guess or assume Canadian cities are in the USA. And instead of giving the University of Manitoba credit for being in Canada, and instead of giving Canada credit for this study, the USA receives the credit. Should it be the norm in the Canadian press to give credit to Sweden or Germany for Norwegian studies, just because Canadian journalists "think" or "assume" they know where Norwegian cities are located? It is no wonder why so many Norwegians are so poorly informed about Canada if their media assume or guess, instead of verifing what they "think" they know is correct. In addition, the original story from the New York Times does not call or state the study is American, this has been added in by the Norwegian journalist. Do journalists not have a responsibility to verify their facts before they print a story?
12) Wrestling-stjerne funnet død (BJØRNAR TOMMELSTAD) 26 June 2007
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=145165
In this story about Canadian wrestler the Norwegian journalist writes: "(VG Nett) Den amerikanske fribryteren Chris Benoit (40), hans kone og sønn (7) ble mandag funnet døde i hjemmet sitt." American?? Wrong nationality. Chris Benoit is of course a Canadian, not an American as this journalist has written. The worst part is the original AP story does not state he is an American, in fact even refers to his wrestling nickname as the "Canadian Crippler". Did the journalist just guess or assume he is American and decided to add that in?
13) Politiet drepte Robert (40) med strømpistol (Morten Ulekleiv Eng) 15 Nov. 2007
http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=185686
There a couple of mistakes in this very tragic and terrible Canadian story the Norwegian journalist has reported on from a foreign news media outlet; the USA's CNN story. He writes: "- Det mest bekymringsverdige var at én av politimennene brukte kneet og beinet til å holde hodet hans på gulvet, sier Pritchard til CNN." Paul Pritchard did not say this to the American CNN as the Norwegian reporter writes, (Cable News Newtork in the USA), he said this to a Canadian news agency - the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as it clearly states in the American CNN story - "Probably the most disturbing part is one of the officers uses his leg and his knee to pin his neck and his head to the ground," Pritchard told CBC News." The Norwegian reporter has changed this fact of him saying this from Canada's CBC to USA's CNN, when he did not say this to CNN. Why would a reporter do this? Second: "Zofia Cisowski er bitter på det canadiske politiet for tapet av sin sønn. Til den amerikanske tv-stasjonen CBS sier hun at det nå må bli en slutt på bruken av strømpistoler.- De må gjøre noe, fordi dette dreper, den dreper mennesker, sier Cisowski til CBS." She did not say this to CBS, she said this to CBC. How can she have said this when CBS is a foreign news service from the USA and she is in Canada? As well, the CNN story clearly says she states this to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. In both these quotes the Norwegian reporter changed it to say these Canadians said these comments to American news agencies when they in fact stated these comments to Canadian news agencies. Why would a Norwegian journalist change the name of Canadian news agencies when the USA's CNN story does not say this? From CBS: "They have to do something with this killing with that Taser weapon. they should do something because that is killer, people killer," Cisowski told the CBC before going into seclusion. Would it not be more useful to use a Canadian source for this Canadian story? Would Norwegian journalists use a Canadian media sorce to report about an American story? So why use an American story to report about a Canadian story? It seems there is some difficulty being able to tell the difference between Canadian and American news agencies despite the fact the correct Canadian ones are listed in the CNN and CBS story the Norwegian journalist quotes from. The Americans, the British and Australians seemed to get these facts correct, yet some in the Norwegian press made these errors. After notifying the Norwegian journalist he apologised and promptly corrected the mistakes.
14) Nyskilte Tori giftet seg (CATHERINE GONSHOLT IGHANIAN) 8 May 2006
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=115700
There is nothing "technically" wrong with this story, but it is an excellent example of how the Norwegian media has a tendancy to delete or remove all references to Canada or Canadians in some of their coverage. This story is about American actress Tori Spelling and her marriage to Canadian actor Dean McDermott. In the VG story the Norwegian journalists quotes from comments made to the American magazine People. In the American story they mention two Canadian cities, and Canada, yet in the VG story the Canadian reference to Dean McDermott is excluded, the two Canadian cities are excluded, and Canada is not mentioned. It is clear from People Magazine the events around their meeting and being in Canada is clear and important to mention to American readers, but from reading the Norwegian story, all Canadian references are excluded. To a Norwegian reading the story they would not know they meet while filming a movie in Canada, that he proposed to Tori Spelling in Canada, or that Dead McDermott is a Canadian. What's the problem here?? Why is Canada so often not worth mentioning to so many Norwegian journalists? If this story was about Tori Spelling marrying an Australian or Brit, then chances are much more likely these facts would not be omitted. If she had met an Australian or Brit and not a Canadian, the chances are more likely these details would be mentioned. Why is there such a tendancy in the Norwegian press to make Canadians, Canada, Canadian events and culture look American? Why is there so little consideration to respect to mention Canada, Canadians, and the Canadian cutlure in the Norwegian press as is done with the British, Americans, and Australians? From a Canadian perspective, it is easy to see the Norwegian press has a bad habit of excluding references to Canada, to being Canadian, locating cities in Canada, or acknowleding Canadians much more often than Australians, Brits, and Americans? Why? Why are Canada and Canadians less likely to be acknowledged in the Norwegian press, even when they are acknowledged in the stories the Norwegian press base their stories from?
15) Latter baner vei for romantikk (By Madeleine Ferre ) 25 January 2006
http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/artikkel.php?artid=143661
In this story the Norwegian journalist writes: "Amerikansk undersøkelse Forskerne Eric Bressler ved Westfield State College i Massachusetts, USA, og Sigal Balshine fra McMaster University i Hamilton, Ontario..." McMaster university is a Canadian univesity located in Hamilton, in the Canadian province of Ontario in Canada, not an American univesity as the heading states. The heading "Amerikansk undersøkelse" is not correct. For this story to be correct it should state: "Amerikansk og Kanadiske undersøkelse". Why does the Canadian univesity the particiapted in this study not get mentioned for the correct nationality it is - Canadian? Why does the country of Canada not even get mentioned. Not more than a handful of Norwegians know that McMaster University is a Canadian university. If the effort is made to identify the American university as American, then why is there no effort to identify the Canadian university? Because it is Canadian it's not worth it? Does it not deserve recognition in the same way as the American univesity? What this Norwegian journalist has done is like a Canadian journalist writing a story about a Norwegian and Swedish study, and identifying the Norwegian university as Gaerman or Swedish, and the Norwegian researchers as German or Swedish. An e-mail was sent to have the story corrected, but it has never been corrected. Why are Canadian instutions often not treated with the same fairness in the Norwegain press? So often, Canadian researchers, Canadian universities, Canadian studies are identified as being American!
16) Ledger-film blir fullført (By Øystein David Johansen ) 29 January 2008
http://www1.vg.no/film/artikkel.php?artid=503363
In this story, the Norwegian journalist identifies Canadian actor Christopher Plummer as British. The Norwegian journalist writes: "I tillegg klaget han veldig på at han ikke fikk sove, og tok sovepiller,sier den engelske veteranskuespilleren." Mr. Plummer is Canadian, not English, born in Toronto, in the province of Ontario in Canada. He is one of Canada's most famous actors, and in fact he is also a direct decendent of one of Canada's Prime Ministers, Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott (1891). Mr. Plummer speaks both French and English, and has been in several Canadian films, and international films, and is one of the world's leading Shakespearean actors. The journalist promptly correct the error after an e-mail was sent.
17) Pamela flyttet inn i «Big Brother» (Catherine Gonsholt Ighanian) 10 July 2008
In this story the Norwegian journalist writes about Canadian Pamela Anderson: "Tre dager til ende får realitydeltagerne ha besøk av den amerikanske TV-stjernen (41) - på dagtid. Pamela skal ikke overnatte i «BB»-huset." Pamela Anderson is from Canada, not American as this journalist writes. In addition, the BBC story the Norwegian journalist mentions in the story, does not state Pamela Anderson is an American, and the Australian and Canadian media stories about this story, all identify her as a Canadian:
This Norwegian journalist and some Norwegian journalists seem to believe that many Canadians working in the USA for their careers are somehow automatically "Americans" now, and are no longer Canadians, or have no longer any Canadian identity. It's true many Canadians work in Hollywood, but so do many Brits, Australians, Swedes, and other nationalities. So why do Canadians so often in the Norwegian press, more than Brits, Australians or Swedes, end up being identified and reclassified as "Americans" in Norwegian news and entertainment stories? And, if Norwegian journalists can claim that Norwegians that immigrated to the USA at an early age (Knute Rockne for example), or Americans born to a Norwegian parent or parents (Renée Zellweger for example) are still Norwegians even after either coming to USA at an early age or are in fact born American, and raised American, then how can they write in their stories that Canadians are Americans now. It is a double standard, and hypocritical of these Norwegian journalists that take away a Canadian entertainer's identity, just because a Norwegian journalist doesn't hold any real significance to the Canadian identity. Take this quote from Canadian actor Michael J. Fox for example from the London (Canada) Free Press: "I became an American citizen a few years ago, mostly because I pay a lot of taxes and I wanted to see where it went. If we're buying bombs, I want to have some say in who we drop them on. And also I had four kids in school. So just to get my American thing out of the way, I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had in the U.S. But if you're a Canadian, you're always a Canadian. There's kind of an acceptance of life on life's terms. There's a feeling sometimes in America of, 'We can change it. We can rebuild it. We can make it what we need it to be.' And in Canada it's kind of like, 'Well, it is a mountain.' And then Canadians figure out a way to get up it, over it, around it, or just sit in the shade of it, you know?"
18) Svenske sjokkerte NHL-slåsskjempe (By MORTEN ULEKLEIV) 25 September 2009
In this story the Norwegian journalist writes "Slåsskamper er normalt i amerikansk ishockey og anses også somen viktigdel av underholdningen for store deler av tilskuerne. Svensken knock out påBrennan Evans var sesongens første, men definitiv ikke den siste." It should say: "Slåsskamper er normalt i canadisk ishockey" or "Slåsskamper er normalt i ishockey i USA og anses..." or "Slåsskamper er normalt i nord-amerikansk ishockey og anses også..." To call the Canadian sport of hockey, invented in Canada, played in the Canadian founded NHL (1917) is wrong. Hockey that is played in the USA is comes from Canada. The NHL was formed and started in Canada in 1917. The first American team did not join the NHL until 1923. The original teams, in the Canadian founded NHL/LNH are all Canadian. The modern game of ice hockey was founded in Canada, and exported to other countries outside of Canada including the USA, etc. When the NHL/LNH first started 100% of NHL/LNH players were Canadian. Today of course, 55% of the players are still Canadians largely due to more Swedes, Russians, Finns, and Americans playing the game. The majority of players playing in the USA on USA based teams are Canadians. What you have written is like a Canadian journalist writing XC skiing in Norway is a Swedish or German sport. Why do so many Norwegian journalists think the game Canada invented is American? After several e-mails back and for to the journalist, the story was correct to say: "Slåsskamper er normalt i nord-amerikansk ishockey og anses også som en viktig del av underholdningen for store deler av tilskuerne." Why is it so difficult to have credit given to Canadians in so many Norwegian stories where credit or reference to Canada and Canadians is due?
19) Her er USAs hotteste idrettsarena (LARS VESTAD) 14 November 2008
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=524087
In this story the Norwegian journalist writes: "Her er USAs hotteste idrettsarena" and "3. Air Canada Center, Toronto." USA?? This is wrong. The Air Canada Centre is not in the USA, it is located in Canada. Second, "Air Canada Center" is splet wrong; it is spelt "Air Canada Centre." He has properly used the correct Canadian spelling. Can you please correct Canadian spelling which is Air Canada Centre. This is like a Canadian journalist writting that Oslo's Ullevaal Stadion is located in Germany or Sweden. It was correct four days later on the 18th of November.
20) Nytt parkometer varsler deg (Tina Oppen) 7 August 2007
http://www.vg.no/bil-og-motor/artikkel.php?artid=158088
In this story about the Canadian company - Photo Violation Technologies, and the newly Canadian invented parking meter the journalist writes: "amerikanske byene." First, this is a Canadian company that has sold its technology and products to Canadian cities, and exported it out of Canada for sales to USA cities. She writes "American" cities, but Vancouver, British Columbia is a Canadian city, not American, located in Western Canada. How is it that a story about a Canadian company identifies a Canadian city as being in the USA? Is Oslo located in Sweden or Germany? Not only is it not mentioned as being Canadian, there is no mention the company is Canadian, and in addition she has either assumed or guessed the Canadian city of Vancouver is located in the USA.
21) Brokkoli halverer faren for å få prostatakreft (Julie Hæhre) 3 August 2007
http://www.vg.no/helse/artikkel.php?artid=157692
In your story the Norwegian journalist writes: "Det har et forskningsteam fra USA konkludert med etter å undersøkt 1300 menn og deres kostholdsvaner." This is wrong. The 1388 patients were Canadians from Toronto, with a Canadian researcher - Dr Victoria Kirsch leading the research. It was a team of Canadians and Americans working on this joint study, yet in the story a Canadian doctor, a Canadian medical institution, and Canadian research is mentioned, but they are identified as Americans, and from the USA. This was a team of Canadians and Americans from the two countries doing this study, yet Canada and Canadians that were included and doing research in this study are not even recognised, and their nationality incorrectly identified in the story as being from another country. See the story below. To be correct the story should say "Det har et forskningsteam fra Canada og USA konkludert med etter å undersøkt 1300 menn og deres kostholdsvaner". What has been written here is like a Canadian journalist giving Swedes and Sweden or Germans and Germany all the credit for the research done by Norway and Norwegians.
22) Andrea Bocelli: «Amore» (By KURT BAKKEMOEN) 28 February 2006
http://www.vg.no/musikk/artikkel.php?artid=182312
In this story KURT BAKKEMOEN writes "Amerikanske David Foster har produsert denne plata der blant andre Stevie Wonder, Kenny G. og ikke minst Christina Aguilera er gjester. Dette er en voksenpopplate med klassisk islett." American?? Wrong nationality! This is not correct. David Foster is Canadian, not American as Kurt writes, and comes from British Columbia in Canada.
23) Mange stipendkroner til overs Superstipend til USA-studenter
(Svanhild Blakstad - Dine Penger) 22 November 2006
http://www1.vg.no/pub/vgart.php?artid=158205
In this story the title states: "Superstipend til USA-studenter" and then it states: "Hvert år deler Norge-Amerika Foreningen ut 3 millioner kroner i stipend til studier i USA og Canada." Which one is it? Just USA? Or Canada and USA? The title is wrong since the story is about studying in two countries in North America, not just the USA. It should state: "Superstipend til Canada og USA-studenter" or "Superstipend til Nord-Amerika-studenter." Canada is not in the USA as the title suggestes, and considering the programme includes monies to Canadian universities. In fact, most of the story mentions just the USA, even though the first paragraph mentions: "...ut 3 millioner kroner i stipend til studier i USA og Canada."
24) Lyst til flytte til syden som pensjonist? Ta med pensjonen utenlands
(Eline Hvamstad) 30 October, 2007
http://www1.vg.no/pub/vgart.php?artid=177332
In this story about pensions the Norwegian journalist writes: *Land utenfor EØS-området: U.S.A., Canada, Quebec, Chile, Tyrkia, Kroatia, Serbia og Montenegro." Quebec?? The Canadian province du Québec is not a country; it's part of Canada. To be correct is should say: "*Land utenfor EØS-området:U.S.A., Canada, Chile, Tyrkia, Kroatia, Serbia og Montenegro." After e-mailing VG Dine Penger, they responded, but didn't want to correct the mistake.
25) Billy Bob Thornton forbannet under radiointervju (Halstein Røyseland)
9 April 2009
http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/04/09/kjendis/musikk/film/billy_bob_thornton/5688073/
In this story the Norwegian journalist writes: "Billy Bob Thornton (54) og bandet hans, The Boxmasters, er for tiden på turné med Willie Nelson, og tidligere denne uken var de gjester under morgenshowet på CBS Radio i Canada." CBS Radio in Canada??There is no CBS Radio in Canada. In the United States, Canada's neighbour to the south, there is a T.V. network called the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). The Canadian interview mentioned in this story took place on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) /Radio-Canada (SRC) in Toronto, in Canada. What is written here is him being interviewed on a U.S. radio programme, even though he has done the interview in Canada and there is no CBS radio in Canada. The CBC in Canada, is the same as the BBC in Britain, as is the same as ABC in Australia, and similar to NRK in Norway. This would be like a Canadian journalist writing about a Canadian musician being interviewed on NRK in Germany or Sweden. The mistake was promptly corrected by the journalist on the same day.
26) Her er Obamas gigantiske militærimperium (By Marianne Vikås , Mads A. Andersen & Tom Byermoen) 8 December, 2009
In this Norwegian story, the Norwegians jounnalists write "5.500 militærbaser hjemme og ute." In the graph it shows the Americans have two military bases in Canada. This is not correct. There are no USA military bases in Canada. The Canadian government would not allow any foreign country to place military bases in Canada. The source the Norwegian journalists are using says the U.S. military has less 144 square feet (less than 15 square metres) of space in Canada, and does not list any bases under the "Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, or Nantional Guard" sections of their military report. After confirming with the USA's Embassy to Canada in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, that there are no USA military bases in Canada, VG has not corrected the mistake in their story.
27) Slik blir USA-turen billigst (Richard Nodeland) 10 December, 2009
Is this a story about Canada or the USA? In the title it says USA, in the story it states: "200.000 nordmenn besøker Obama-land årlig." But of course Canada is not the country of Obama, that is the USA. Yet, some of the content is: "Det generelle prisnivået i USA og Canada er ikke bare mye lavere enn i Norge, det er også lavere enn i Alpene. Skal du bo billig, må du velge moteller i nærmeste by." Then it states: "Med ekstreme snøfall gjennom vinteren er både USA og Canada et paradis for løssnøkjøring." This story is another excellent example of how the Norwegian media just dumps Canada in with USA centred stories as an afterthought, or adds Canada in with a USA story, that is really just about the USA, and Canadia is added in as some afterthought. If this story is about the USA, which the title, 200,000 Norwegians, USA pictures clearly indicate it is, then why is Canada added into it? Is this a travel story for the USA? Or is it a travel story about North America? If it's about North America, then why so little coverage about Canada? And why no mention of the Norwegians that travel to Canada? Canada is not part of the USA, so why is it in the story. If the story is about Norwegians visiting countries in North America then should it not say that in the title? In the story? This is like Canadian journalists writing Sweden is the country Canadians visit, and thousands of Canadians visit Sweden, and Sweden has so much to offer Canadians, and if you're visiting Sweden and Norway.
28) Superstipend til USA-studenter (Svanhild Blakstad) 16 November, 2009
In this Norwegian story the journalist writes: "Du kan få 200.000 kroner i stipend Superstipend til USA-studenter." This is not quite correct. Canada is not located in the USA. This story is not about just studying in USA, it's about Norwegian students wanting to study in two different countries in North America - Canada and the USA. The title should be: Superstipend til Nord-Amerika-studenter. The stipends available are not just for the USA, as the VG title suggests, but also for two Canadian universities. The Norge-Amerika Foreningen (Noram) has 3 million NOK to study in North America, not just the USA.
29) U2 tjente best i 2009 (Halstein Røyseland) 1 January 2010
In this story about music sales in North America, the Norwegian journalist writes: "Til sammen solgte U2 omlag 1,3 millioner konsertbilletter i USA i fjor." This is not correct. This should say: "Til sammen solgte U2 omlag 1,3 millioner konsertbilletter i Nord-Amerika i fjor." The totals in the original Pollstart story are for North America sales - Canada and the USA, not just the USA. Also the journalist writes "Bruce Springsteen - «The Boss» - er fortsatt ganske sjef. Sammen med The E Street Band spilte han inn omlag 545 millioner kroner i USA i 2009." This is not correct either. This should say: "Bruce Springsteen - «The Boss» - er fortsatt ganske sjef. Sammen med The E Street Band spilte han inn omlag 545 millioner kroner i Nord-Amerika i 2009." The totals are North America sales, not just for the USA, but also include sales in Canada. How is it possible to state the totals for just the USA despite the fact the original Pollstar story states: "Pollstar Top 50 Tours of North America." Are Norwegians taught the USA is the only country in the continent of North America?


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