VG’s news anchors hope to give TV viewers more colorful programs. They’re not afraid of making fools of themselves.
Dares more
“I think I’m one of those people who find things less embarrassing and scary when they do it on TV. I think I dare a bit more because I find the camera reassuring,” says Nora Thorp Bjørnstad.
Yesterday the rookie news anchor travelled to Sochi in Russia, where she will be covering the Chess World Championship for the next three weeks.
“If we manage to convey the same passion and enthusiasm as everyone coming Sochi has, then we will have succeeded. I want to make chess more accessible, more colorful, more popular,” says Bjørnstad.
Initially, VG on TV will be distributed to one million customers who subscribe to Canal Digital’s satellite and cable TV. This means the around 2 million people in Norway will miss out on VG’s linear TV channel.
Reach as many as possible
“There are a lot of people who won’t get to see these transmissions. Does VGTV have any plans to renegotiate with other cable TV providers?”
“We hope to reach agreements with the other distributors, because we want our transmissions to reach as many viewers as possible. But all our breaking news and direct broadcasts will be published on VG’s digital platforms,” says VGTV’s editor Helje Solberg.
The TV channel will be called VG, and its goal is to be as updated with news as you are used to on VG’s other platforms.
Seasoned journalists will head up these news programs. All the bricks finally fell into place in August: after numerous rounds of interviews and auditions, 600 applicants were pared down to 25 employees, five of whom are anchors.
Great mix
Mads A Andersen, Nora Thorp Bjørnstad, Ahmed Fawad Ashraf, Gry Granum Stang and Silje Ensrud have been tasked with presenting the programs.
In addition to the five new anchors, Morten Hegseth will present live broadcasts from events taking place in the entertaining industry and Jamel Rake and Jon Martin Henriksen will present the football coverage.
VGTV’s editor is pleased.
“They’re all highly professional journalists with lots of experience in live broadcasting. They represent a great mix of personalities, some from VG and some from outside. Breaking news and live broadcasts are the most important formats for us. And the anchors and presenters will be absolutely vital for those. Our aim is to be fresher, closer, more information and younger than our competitors,” says Solberg.
Chess personalities
VG on TV starts up in conjunction with this year’s biggest venture: the Chess World Championship in Sochi, Russia. The channel therefore repeats last year’s success, which achieved 300,000 viewers daily. This time, however, both VG and NRK will cooperate on sending live images from the championship.
While Bjørnstad is in full swing preparing for the championship in Sochi, Andersen and chess partner Hans Olav Lahlum are sitting knitting jumpers. Once again, they will take on the role of VG’s chess personalities.