An Icelandic author, comparing a press release from an aluminium company and the subsequent news broadcast, has criticised the Icelandic media for proffering press releases as news with no critical examination of the source material.
Author Andri Snær Magnússon, writing on his blog, compares a press release from the company Samáli, an association of Icelandic aluminium producers, which states that pollution from smelters has decreased, and is still quite low. The subsequent news broadcast based on this press release, which aired on Stöð 2, more or less repeats Samáli’s version of the truth without offering any other evidence.
Andri Snær points out that Norsk Hydro, which was supposed to be established here before Alcoa came, claimed at one point to be less polluting than the smelter in Reyðarfjörður would be.
He then asks, “What is the news for? Was this news more beneficial for you or for Samáli? Who decided what figures to use and how they were to be presented? What happened to Iceland, how did this happen and will it happen again?”
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