People Met with the Press and the Politicians

Together with Folkeuniversitet, Constructive Institute organises five debates about the future of journalism.

What makes people tired of politicians and skeptic about the press – and what can be done about it?

That was the issue discussed among politicians, journalists and people from Aalborg in the first out of five public debates about the mistrust that some Danes have in politicians and the media.

With an audience of nearly 200 citizens, both politicians and journalist spoke quite frankly about the way that politics is presented in the media – and both parties stated that progress could be made if the purpose of it all is to secure a better way of conveying political initiatives and relevant news stories to the public.

Questions and comments from the audience indicated that conflicts and personal scandals in some media take up too much attention and tend to dominate so that the mere content of the plans and suggestions from the political parties are downplayed.

The politicians in the panel were Torsten Schack Pedersen, Venstre, Lisbeth Bech Poulsen, SF, Rasmus Prehn, Socialdemokratiet, and René Gade, Alternativet.

The journalists representing Folketingets Presseloge were Jens Ringberg of Danish Broadcasting Corporation, DR, and Thomas Bæksgaard of the largest Danish newspaper, Politiken.

Locally the city of Aalborg was represented by the mayor Thomas Kastrup-Larsen and the editor in chief of NORDjyske, Per Lyngby.

There will be four more debate in the days to come:

Christiansborg, The Danish Parliament, Wednesday 21st November

Aarhus, Thursday 22nd of November

Kolding, Monday 26th of November

Odense Wednesday 28th of November