Klaksvík signs 375,000-kroner deal with Norðlýsið despite legal warnings

Klaksvík Municipality signed a 375,000-kroner cooperation agreement with media outlet Norðlýsið despite legal warnings about supporting the outlet, documents obtained by Kringvarp Føroya (KVF) show.

Norðlýsið initially applied for 750,000 kroner in operating support for its radio activities. The municipal association and the municipality’s lawyer said such a subsidy would have no legal basis. Bárður Larsen, a law lecturer at the University of the Faroe Islands, was asked to assess the legal basis and agreed with their assessment.

The application was later changed to a cooperation agreement covering marketing and media services. Larsen, acting as an independent lawyer, said the revised arrangement was more legally defensible but that questions remained. Klaksvík’s municipal council nevertheless approved the agreement in May.

Under the agreement, the municipality will pay Norðlýsið 125,000 kroner this year and 250,000 kroner next year. The proposed payment for next year must be reviewed by the municipality before the end of this year. In return, Norðlýsið will promote Klaksvík and provide information about events and municipal affairs.

Norðlýsið editor Jóhann Lützen says he does not believe the agreement affects the outlet’s journalistic freedom.