Press Freedom And The Road Less Traveled

Michael Hedges March 1, 2010 Follow on Twitter

The Danish cartoon controversy that sparked broad outrage has flared again. This time it was a newspaper’s apology to Muslims that provoked anger from politicians and free press advocates. The newspaper’s editor said it wants to advance a conversation.

Danish newspaper Politiken’s editor in chief Toeger Seidenfaden penned an apology for the offense of republishing the cartoons famous for setting off waves of Muslim protest. Eleven Danish newspapers received a demand last August from the Saudi Arabian law firm to remove the offending cartoons from their internet archives, apologize and promise never to publish it again. The organizations represent descendents of the Prophet Mohammed. In the settlement Politiken’s editor apologized for offending the descendents.

“We apologize to anyone who was offended by our decision to reprint the cartoon drawing," wrote Seidenfaden in the newspaper. "We deplore that Muslims were offended, even if that was not our intention. It is necessary that ordinary Danes and Muslim begin to have a conversation."

“We may in future (publish) all the cartoons and all the texts we want in the newspaper,” said Seidenfaden’s statement, “regardless of whether there is a risk that they offend someone. "

“The dispute is settled,” said Saudi-based attorney Faisal Yamani, representing the descendants of the Prophet Mohammed who agreed “not to pursue any legal or administrative action against Politiken.” No other Danish media house has responded to the demand.

Danish courts ruled in 2006 the publication of the first series of cartoons in Jyllands-Posten (J-P) was lawful. Several Danish newspapers republished the cartoons in 2008 after Muslim groups made threats against cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who drew one of the 2005 series of cartoons, the one which angered Muslims worldwide. This past New Years Day, an axe-wielding Muslim following the fatwa attacked Westergaard’s home. (See more on the Denmark cartoon controversy here)

Denmark’s media and political spokesmen, along political lines, criticized the apology as an affront to press and speech freedom.

“Politiken is bowing to other's views of our freedom of speech,” said newly named Danish Culture Minister and former Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller to Berlingske Tidende (February 26), “and this can lead to further attacks on Danish freedom of speech."

“I think it is embarrassing and shameful that politics bring freedom to negotiate and conclude a settlement on the way, where you apologize for a completely natural editorial decision,” wrote competitor Berlingske Tidende editor Lisbeth Knudsen.

“It's a sad day for Danish media, it's sad for freedom of expression, and it's sad for Politiken,” wrote J-P editor Joern Mikkelsen. His paper had first published the cartoons in 2005.

“Politiken is casting aside freedom of speech,” wrote Westergaard on the J-P website (February 26). In a mark of Danish editorial independence, Politiken and Jyllands-Posten are owned by the same publisher - JP/Politikens Hus A/S.

Self-censorship, always an issue when controversy and conflict cloud media practices, got the attention of Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF). Quoting a poll conducted for J-P in January, a majority of Danes supported their newspapers’ decision not to reprint the infamous cartoons again. A different poll of cultural organizations in Denmark found nearly half “think that freedom of expression is under threat in Denmark.” Denmark’s strong adherence to press freedom, its laws are the toughest in Europe, has earned top rankings in the annual RSF Press Freedom Index. (See more on media in Denmark here)

J-P arts and culture editor Flemming Rose, who was at the heart of the 2005 cartoon publication and, like Westergaard, still lives with police protection, told RSF (February 26) intimidation has led to self-censorship.

“I know people who say they feel intimidated and who admit to censoring themselves. Why don’t they say it out loud? I think that the spokespeople of artists’ and writers’ associations are influenced by the political situation. They have a problem with admitting that self-censorship exists… There is a political interest in distancing oneself from the problem. And then, artists who always want to be challenging the authorities, cannot admit to being intimidated by Islam or by anybody outside the traditional perception of political power. It would not be politically correct.”

Some observers argue the settlement – and apology – are part of a carefully chosen strategy by the newspaper to shore up the allegiance of loyal readers by stimulating continued debate on a touchy subject. It makes no sense unless it is a political project, said PR expert Kresten Schultz Jorgensen to Dagbladet Information (February 26).Politiken is considered a left-center oriented newspaper while J-P is editorially aligned with the political right, as are Denmark’s ruling politicians.

Controversy took another tilt, after the settlement agreement with descendents of the Prophet Mohammed was announced, when a former Politiken editor revealed (February 27) his relationship in the 1960’s with Israeli spy agency Mossad. “I traveled in Africa under the cover of a journalist and I made my reports to the Israeli embassies,” said Herbert Pundik to Dagbladet Information. He quit spying when he became Politiken’s editor-in-chief in the early 1970’s. Pundik was working for Danish State broadcasting and not Politiken during his spy years.

On hearing that story, Toger Seidenfaden offered that he could “understand that Pundik, as an Israeli citizen, wanted to help the young and fragile state of Israel.”

For obvious reasons, any mention of Israel’s Mossad quickly rises to the top of the attention ratings, without regard to context. Most legitimate news organizations and journalists are beyond the bad old days of contorting reporting and spying. When added to the enduring controversies of free press and speech in the context of European relations with Middle East – not to forget competitive sensitivities within Denmark – Politiken seems to have taken the road less traveled.