Media Blackout Seems Largely Successful

No proactive, investigative reporting seems to currently take place in any Icelandic media.

There’s a lot of handball, some success stories, cancer stories and remembrance of natural catastrophes. Most media also duly cover news releases sent their way, as well as police affairs and ongoing court cases. They also report that a photographer caught northern lights looking like a statue of Jesus for an instance. Any criticism currently heard in the media, however, is aimed at foreigners, immigrants and muslims. Meanwhile, foreign news remain focused on the aftermath of last week’s attack on Charlie Hebdo.

Reportedly, early January tends to be a slow month in news. The absolute lack of any antagonism between media and the interests of authorities or business, could nonetheless, theoretically, indicate that everything is largely alright in the Icelandic republic. Conversely, the highly decorated silence may also mean that the 2014 media blackout has been largely successful.

2014 saw the editor-in-chief of all major news media replaced, except Morgunblaðið’s chief editor Davíð Oddsson, former Independence Party Chair, Mayor, Prime Minister and Central Bank manager.