– A dangerous development – VG

Two different discussions on Twitter between Jon Helgheim and Tv2profil Fredrik Græsvik ended and the latter decided early Saturday morning to take a break from the platform.

“Being repeatedly misled by a parliamentary representative (who has never lied to me) is more than it bothers me. Thank you for my Twitter, “wrote the journalist in his latest update. Shortly after, the account was deactivated.

The two have also previously had discussions on Twitter for the open internet scene.

“Fake news”

It all started with a post on Græsvik’s Twitter account on Friday night Norwegian time, in which he compared Trump’s remarks about double sending of votes by mail to fomenting voter fraud. It made Helgheim look red.

– Here Græsvik says that Donald Trump called for electoral fraud, but what Trump really said was that the system should be tested. Græsvik attributes views to Trump that he has not expressed, Helgheim tells VG.

In response to the post, Helgheim Græsvik accuses him of spreading “fake news”.

– If Græsvik does not tolerate being confronted with two accusations before deleting your account, it is entirely up to him. I should put up with so much, says the parliamentary representative.

Under the law, double voting is illegal in North Carolina, which Trump’s status was referring to in his proposal.

In from the sideline

The Twitter feud has not gone unnoticed by Helgheim’s political opponents. On the one hand, now comes Transport Minister and former KrF leader Knut Arild Hareide.

– This is part of a development that we see in Europe and other countries where people question the credibility of the media. It’s a dangerous development Helgheim is contributing to.

– There are probably many in Norway who underestimate the importance of a critical press. We probably have world class media in Norway and we should be grateful for that and prefer to take the debate and argue rather than attack the media.

Helgheim, for his part, believes that Græsvik is not doing his job as a journalist when speaking on Twitter.

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– Politicians must mean things that journalists must convey. Græsvik does not transmit, interpret, that is, he affirms from memory that he can affirm that it is so. So you have not understood your role.

He also believes that Hareide is completely wrong when he says that Helgheim contributes to dangerous development.

– On the other hand, this is part of a development in which the press is looking en masse for the president of the United States, just because he is Trump. They put aside all the rules of the game and twist to demonize Trump. This is what takes away the credibility of the media, not that I point it out.

Hareide, for his part, believes that the TV 2 journalist does not present interpretations that cannot be justified.

– It is very easy to shout “fake news”, but then you have to explain why it is “fake news”. The examples I have seen are Græsvik, who is correct in his interpretation of the situation. Helgheim must deal with that, Hareide says.

– Do you want to encourage Græsvik to return to Twitter?

– Yes, I do, but he has done a solid job, so if you want a break, you must allow him.

Call it an “attack”

TV 2 news editor Karianne Solbrække has been in contact with Græsvik, who is currently in the US as a foreign correspondent for the channel. She says the decision to deactivate the account is made as a result of a total experience.

This is not something Helgheim should take credit for. This is the total pressure.

Solbrække remembers that Græsvik works for TV 2 and that this is the most important thing to them.

– I support Fredrik’s decision, he’s doing fine without Twitter for a while. It is in the channel where the important social mission resides, he says.

At the same time, the TV 2 news editor doesn’t skimp on gunpowder when it comes to Helgheim’s proposal against the channel’s American correspondent.

– I think it is sad to see the systematic attempts of a parliamentary representative to attack one of the pillars of democracy, namely the independent press.

– Fredrik is Norway’s most famous American correspondent. Their job is to report when Trump lies or, as in this case, when he makes a sensational statement in a Western democracy.

He doesn’t know when Græsvik might reconnect to Twitter.

– You have only deactivated the account, so it can be reactivated again.

Helgheim is aware that the press must resist criticism.

– The press is neither infallible nor unassailable. I have only criticized two of Græsvik’s incredibly numerous negative tweets about Trump. Both times because he makes false claims. This must bear it!