Audhild Gregoriusdotter Rotevatn
Encyclopedia
Audhild Gregoriusdotter Rotevatn (born 9 May 1975) is a Norwegian journalist
, television host, and radio presenter
, who has worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and the now defunct Kanal 24
. She is known for her unusual name and consistent use of Nynorsk
.
, followed by a short spell in Bergens Tidende
. Having finished radio journalism
studies at Volda University College
, she began working for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation in 1999. Rotevatn was a news presenter
in Dagsnytt
and a sports anchor on NRK1
. She moved to Kanal 24 in 2003, initially working as a news anchor. She eventually became news director
. Following the ownership change in Kanal 24, Rotevatn left the radio channel and joined I&M Kommunikasjon, an advertising company, as a communications advisor. Rotevatn is also a regular columnist for Dag og Tid
, Vårt Land
, and Språknytt.
In 2009, the Arts Council Norway offered Rotevatn a position in the committee that evaluates newspapers for press support
. Rotevatn was a member of the board of Dag og Tid
at the time. After informing the Arts Council about the possible conflict of interest
, she resigned from the Dag og Tid board, and accepted the committee position. Dag og Tid received a major increase in subsidy
, and Rotevatn was criticized by Christian newspaper Norge IDAG, who lost press support after being assessed by the committee. The Arts Council maintained that there had been no conflict of interest since Rotevatn left the board of Dag og Tid before joining the committee.
In 2010 she became a board member of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.
, for which she received Kringkastingsprisen in 2004. She considers Nynorsk an essential part of the future of the Norwegian language
, and frequently participates in the Norwegian language debate. "One should take the language conflict seriously ... many feel discriminated because they are not allowed to write in their own language", she remarked in an interview. During her studies at the University of Oslo
, she was required to write her undergraduate thesis in political science
in Bokmål, but wrote it in Nynorsk anyway. Rotevatn has criticized the Oslo
newspapers, particularly Aftenposten
, for not using Nynorsk. "They should be more conscious of their power and their responsibility," she said. Rotevatn received "Alf Helleviks mediemålpris", awarded by Det Norske Samlaget
, in 2005.
) was acknowledged as a neologism by the Norwegian Language Council
. The word was coined by "Audhild Gregoriusdotter Rotevatn sitt huglaug", Rotevatn's fan club. "It's great that neologisms can come from Nynorsk. Maybe huglaug could mark the beginning of a small revolution", Rotevatn remarked.
Rotevatn is married to Tormod Utne, news director of Sunnmørsposten
, and former director-in-chief of Nettavisen
. They have two children.
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, television host, and radio presenter
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
, who has worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and the now defunct Kanal 24
Kanal 24
Radio Norge is a Norwegian radio station with headquarters in Fredrikstad. It is subsidiary of ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. Radio Norge replaced Kanal 24 at noon on April 21, 2008, with a new profile decided by their listeners...
. She is known for her unusual name and consistent use of Nynorsk
Nynorsk
Nynorsk or New Norwegian is one of two official written standards for the Norwegian language, the other being Bokmål. The standard language was created by Ivar Aasen during the mid-19th century, to provide a Norwegian alternative to the Danish language which was commonly written in Norway at the...
.
Career
Rotevatn started her journalistic career as an intern in SunnmørspostenSunnmørsposten
Sunnmørsposten is a newspaper published by Mecom Group in Ålesund, Norway. Published in compact format six days a week, it consists of two sections; one for local news, sports and classified ads, and one for culture, weather, opinions and editorials and obituaries...
, followed by a short spell in Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende is Norway's fourth largest newspaper and largest newspaper outside Oslo, with a circulation of about 87,000 copies . Founded in 1868, it is a Norwegian-language newspaper published daily in Bergen. It reaches approximately 260,000 readers every day , mainly in the counties of...
. Having finished radio journalism
Broadcast journalism
Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are "broadcast", that is, published by electrical methods, instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. Broadcast methods include radio , television , and, especially recently, the Internet generally...
studies at Volda University College
Volda University College
Volda University College is a høgskole, a Norwegian state institution of higher education, in the village of Volda in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It was established on 1 August 1994, when the Møre og Romsdal regional college and the Volda Teachers College were merged together...
, she began working for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation in 1999. Rotevatn was a news presenter
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
in Dagsnytt
Dagsnytt
Dagsnytt is the main news programme of Norwegian radio. It is broadcast on most of the radio channels of the government-owned Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation , with bulletins every hour and longer programmes four times a day...
and a sports anchor on NRK1
NRK1
NRK1 is the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's main television channel. Test broadcasts started on 12 January 1954, regular test broadcasts started on 13 April 1958 and regular broadcasts started in 20 August 1960. It is Norway's oldest and largest television channel...
. She moved to Kanal 24 in 2003, initially working as a news anchor. She eventually became news director
News Director
A news director is an individual at a broadcast station or network or a newspaper who is in charge of the news department. In local news, the news director is typically in charge of the entire news staff, including journalists, news presenters, photographers, copy writers, television producers,...
. Following the ownership change in Kanal 24, Rotevatn left the radio channel and joined I&M Kommunikasjon, an advertising company, as a communications advisor. Rotevatn is also a regular columnist for Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid is a national weekly newspaper in Norway that uses the Nynorsk standard of the Norwegian language. The newspaper was founded in 1962, is politically independent but editorially radical and focuses on culture and politics. The current editor is Svein Gjerdåker. Its circulation is...
, Vårt Land
Vårt Land
Vårt Land means "Our Country" in Swedish and Norwegian.* Vårt Land is the Swedish language title of the national anthem of Finland, originally a poem by Runeberg...
, and Språknytt.
In 2009, the Arts Council Norway offered Rotevatn a position in the committee that evaluates newspapers for press support
Press support
Press support is a Norwegian state subsidy available for newspapers. The subsidy is twofold; the first part is a direct subsidy of the second- largest, by circulation, newspapers in each city...
. Rotevatn was a member of the board of Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid is a national weekly newspaper in Norway that uses the Nynorsk standard of the Norwegian language. The newspaper was founded in 1962, is politically independent but editorially radical and focuses on culture and politics. The current editor is Svein Gjerdåker. Its circulation is...
at the time. After informing the Arts Council about the possible conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
, she resigned from the Dag og Tid board, and accepted the committee position. Dag og Tid received a major increase in subsidy
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
, and Rotevatn was criticized by Christian newspaper Norge IDAG, who lost press support after being assessed by the committee. The Arts Council maintained that there had been no conflict of interest since Rotevatn left the board of Dag og Tid before joining the committee.
In 2010 she became a board member of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.
Nynorsk advocacy
As a journalist and presenter, Rotevatn is known for her consistent use of NynorskNynorsk
Nynorsk or New Norwegian is one of two official written standards for the Norwegian language, the other being Bokmål. The standard language was created by Ivar Aasen during the mid-19th century, to provide a Norwegian alternative to the Danish language which was commonly written in Norway at the...
, for which she received Kringkastingsprisen in 2004. She considers Nynorsk an essential part of the future of the Norwegian language
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
, and frequently participates in the Norwegian language debate. "One should take the language conflict seriously ... many feel discriminated because they are not allowed to write in their own language", she remarked in an interview. During her studies at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, she was required to write her undergraduate thesis in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
in Bokmål, but wrote it in Nynorsk anyway. Rotevatn has criticized the Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
newspapers, particularly Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
, for not using Nynorsk. "They should be more conscious of their power and their responsibility," she said. Rotevatn received "Alf Helleviks mediemålpris", awarded by Det Norske Samlaget
Det Norske Samlaget
Det Norske Samlaget is a Norwegian publishing house founded on 24 March 1868 with the aim to promote and publish books in Landsmål, now known as Nynorsk....
, in 2005.
Personal life
Rotevatn is well known for her unusual name. She was the first member of her family not to be christened "Gregoriusdotter", but added the middle name later to uphold the tradition. In 2001, the word "huglaug" (fan clubFan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
) was acknowledged as a neologism by the Norwegian Language Council
Norwegian Language Council
The Norwegian Language Council was the regulation authority for the Norwegian language. It has been superseded by The Language Council of Norway .The council had 38 members, and created lists of acceptable word forms...
. The word was coined by "Audhild Gregoriusdotter Rotevatn sitt huglaug", Rotevatn's fan club. "It's great that neologisms can come from Nynorsk. Maybe huglaug could mark the beginning of a small revolution", Rotevatn remarked.
Rotevatn is married to Tormod Utne, news director of Sunnmørsposten
Sunnmørsposten
Sunnmørsposten is a newspaper published by Mecom Group in Ålesund, Norway. Published in compact format six days a week, it consists of two sections; one for local news, sports and classified ads, and one for culture, weather, opinions and editorials and obituaries...
, and former director-in-chief of Nettavisen
Nettavisen
Nettavisen was the first Norwegian online newspaper that was not established in relation to a pre-existing real-life newspaper. It started up on 1 November 1996...
. They have two children.