Dagens Nyheter today publishes two interviews (link to one out of two) with Niclas Rislund and Oisín Cantwell, news reporters at Swedish tabloids Expressen and Aftonbladet. They write about criminal cases or disasters like the tsunami in Asia, and are sometimes accused of exploiting people in grief or using unethical journalistic methods. Rislund is currently facing charges for impersonating a police officer in order to receive information to a story.
The articles are full of great quotes. Like this one from Rislund, regarding if it is right to interview witnesses to a crime or relatives to a victim of an accident.
“Det är ju inget straff att synas i Expressen.”
(It is not a punishment to be seen in Expressen)
Or this one from Cantwell, who is a candidate for the title “Sweden’s Yogi Berra“.
“Jag vet att jag har sagt det jag påstås ha sagt.”
(I know that I have said what they say I’ve said)
It is also fascinating that none of them wants to appear with a photo in the article, because after reading the manuscript they don’t feel that the articles represent them correctly. Thus, let me give two advice to anyone who is ever approached by these two journalists:
1. Always demand to see the quotes before the article is printed.
2. Never agree to appear with a photo unless you feel the article represents you correctly, even if you have said the things they say you’ve said.
PS. You want photos? Here are some tiny ones: Rislund and Cantwell.
