Freedom of the Press - Denmark (2005)

Status: Free
Legal Environment: 2
Political Influences: 3
Economic Pressures: 5
Total Score: 10

Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 77
Religious Groups: Evangelical Lutheran (95 percent), Muslim (2 percent), other (3 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali
Capital: Copenhagen

Danish media enjoy strong constitutional protections and a long tradition of press freedom. Independent print and broadcast media reflect a wide variety of views and are often critical of the government. However, there are some tensions between the government and the media. In April, Jesper Larsen and Michael Bjerre, two journalists with the conservative daily Berlingske Tidende, faced criminal charges for publishing extracts of confidential military reports passed on by a former intelligence officer. The reports, used by the government when it made its decision to go to war against Iraq, allegedly cast doubt on the existence of weapons of mass destruction. The intelligence officer who leaked the reports was also charged. The government finances four of the five national television networks and several radio stations, though their editorial boards are independent. Several private cable and satellite television channels also exist, as do private radio stations, which are tightly regulated.