DR and TV 2, the two public broadcasters, are obliged to have ombudsmen. One privately-owned newspaper, Politiken, has had a “reader’s editor” since 2001. Together, the ombudsmen contribute to public debate by writing columns and reports on media performances and coverage. Journalism scandals have generally been uncovered by other media houses rather than the media affected by the scandal.
Special interest magazine Journalisten provides a platform for debate on ethical questions among journalists. Meta-reflections on the role of the media (e.g., with regards to phenomena like racism, populism, or xenophobia) are not frequently taken up in editorials and columns of leading news media. There are generally only few formats providing meta-journalism, such as Presselogen, Mennesker og Medier, Mediawatch’s Q podcast, or DR’s satire programme Tæt på Sandheden. Recent scrutiny of “junk news” sites has been initiated by public and private media alike, while right-wing blogs and alternative media are critically monitoring the leading news media.
