Norwegian news, TV, books, & other media for internationals

News in Norway

It's a great idea to read both local and national news when living in Oslo. Reading or watching Norwegian news is one of the most effective ways to improve your language skills while also keeping up with current affairs. Over time, this habit will give you an intuitive understanding of cultural structures and the public discourse.

Mainstream news sources

• NRK – the national public broadcaster.
• Aftenposten – Norway’s largest subscription newspaper.
• VG – the largest online newspaper

News for Norwegian learners

• Klar tale – news site in easy Norwegian (publicly funded)
• Supernytt – daily TV news show for children on NRK TV
• Aftenposten Junior – weekly newspaper for children (requires subscription)
• Utrop – multicultural news site with sections in easy Norwegian (lettnorsk)

Norwegian news in English

Several private or commercial initiatives offer Norewgian news in English:

• The Oslo Desk
• Norway Today
• News in English
• Life in Norway
• The Nordic page
• The Local

Bonus: Science Norway is the English version of the scientfic news site Forskning.no.

Norway's media landscape

• Visit MediaNorway (MedieNorge) for information and statistics about Norwegian newspapers, radio and media usage
• Go to the Norwegian Media Authority (Medietilsynet) for an overview of newspapers, radio and TV channels (mediedatabasen) (in Norwegian). They also publish articles about children and media usage and the media landscape.

Watch Norwegian movies and TV series

The entertainment industry reflects the society it originates in. Watching films, documentaries, and TV series helps to widen your cultural understanding and gives you common reference points. Ask people for recommendations for Norwegian productions and use Norwegian subtitles for extra language practice.

• The Norwegian Film Institute has a database over Norwegian films and TV series.

NRK: Norway's public broadcaster

NRK TV is a free and publicly funded app and website where you can watch the live news and access shows and movies. NRK TV has several channels: NRK 1, NRK 2, NRK 3 and NRK Super for children. You get access through your regular TV or through their app. Their service might not be available from abroad.

You might find these programmes interesting when you have learned enough Norwegian, as NRK only publishes with Norwegian subtitles:

• Sånn er Norge (This is Norway) – an entertaining documentary series about Norwegian self-perception
• Norge rundt (Around Norway) – a long running documentary series with local stories from around the country
• Der ingen skulle tru at nokon kunne bu (Where no one would believe that people live) – a long running documentary series about people living in odd places in Norway

Visit the NRK archive on their web site or in the app to see both older and recent Norwegian TV shows and movies.

Read or listen to books

Find books and blogs about Norwegian culture and society. You will also be able to find many podcasts and audiobooks.

Popular commercial apps to listen to audiobooks in Norwegian are Storytel and Fabel.

Deichman: Oslo's public library

There are many local libraries in Oslo. They have books, films, music, newspapers, magazines and internet access. They also organise talks, homework help, language cafés and other events.

Go to Deichman for a full view of their offer (mainly in Norwegian)

Stories from Oslo

Popular literature where the story is set in Oslo:

• Beatles by Lars Saabye Christensen (translated to many languages)
• Lillelord by Johan Borgen (translated to many languages)
• Tante Ulrikkes vei by Zeshan Shakar

Entertaining books about Norwegian and Nordic culture

• A frog in the fjord: One Year in Norway by Lorelou Desjardins
• Where babies sleep outside: raising children in Norway by Cécile Moroni
• The 100 unwritten Norwegian social laws by Egil Aslak A. Hagerup

• The Social Guidebook to Norway: An Illustrated Introduction by Julien Bourrelle

• The Social Guidebook to Norway: Friendships and Relationships by Julien Bourrelle

• Don't be a Nordic - why embracing the scandi lifestyle won't change your life by Jo Hoare
• Xenophobe's guide to the Norwegians - a frank and funny look by Dan Elloway
• The almost nearly perfect people - behind the myth of the scandinavian utopia by Michael Booth
• The Nordic theory of everything - in search of a better life by Anu Partanen
• The Norwegian hytte - the essential guide to the great Norwegian hytte by Jenny K. Blake
• Brown cheese please – Norway inside out from the outside in by Jenny K. Blake
• Norsk, ikke sant? Norge, nordmenn and all things norsk by Jenny K. Blake The Norway way
• The essential guide to Norway & the Norwegians by Jenny K. Blake

Other sources of information

For general information:

• Regjeringen.no – information about politically important topics
• Samfunnskunnskap.no – webpage with the curriculum for the Norwegian social studies test for immigrants (in Norwegian)
• Store Norske Leksikon – online encyclopedia (in Norwegian)
• Royalcourt.no – Learn about the Norwegian Royal Family

Read interesting, in depth articles

• Info Norden at Norden.org – practical information about the Nordic countries, filtered by Norway
• Nordics.info – articles contributed by the University of Oslo (UiO) and 5 other Nordic universities.