Yesterday Norway's minister of culture, Trond Giske, proposed to establish the rights and duties of the editor (scroll down for full text) by law to protect editors, and their editorial freedom, from meddling proprietors. Giske cited a dramatic change in the nature of the country's media ownership as one of the triggers for introducing the proposed law, which could come into effect as early as 1 July.

He denied that Orkla selling its newspaper arm to British Mecom was the direct precedent for the new law, but Ann-Magrit Austenå, leader of Norway's journalist union (NJ), told Propaganda that the timing of the proposal was no coincidence: 'It has been on the political agenda since 1999. It is obvious that the sale of Orkla Media has contributed to speed up the process of getting a law in place.'

Back in July of course, Giske was voicing his concerns about Mecom all over the place . However, while issuing more or less subtle warnings of how he might be prompted to take action if David Montgomery's investment vehicle Mecom failed to live up to its 'civic responsibilities', Giske seemed unable to walk the talk.

"I’m not sure Giske has actually looked into his toolbox, but he does have useful tools at his disposal. Whether or not he decides to use them, and what effect they may have, is up to him," Johann Roppen, a senior lecturer in journalism who wrote his Phd thesis on Orkla Media, told me back then. Now it seems Giske has had some time to rummage through his tool box, and look what he's come up with...