Type Daily newspaper Owner(s) DV ehf. Founded 1981 | Format Tabloid Staff writers 15 | |
Editor Reynir Traustason, Jón Trausti Reynisson | ||
DV (Dagblaðið Vísir) is a low brow tabloid newspaper in Iceland published by DV ehf. DV came into existence in 1981 as respectable newspaper when two formerly independent newspapers, Vísir and Dagblaðið, merged. The paper has changed dramatically since its inception. Today it is published three times a week and focuses mainly on sensational crime stories, astrology, gossip columns about the personal lives of domestic and foreign celebrities. DV also has an online publication at DV.is.
Contents
The paper was bought from Birtíngur in April 2010. The paper's editors, Reynir Traustaon, and Lilja Skaftadóttir, an art dealer, bought it among a few others. A full list of owners is published at DV.is.
Through the years, DV has sparked public controversies in Iceland with its editorial policy.
Report of the Special Investigation Commission
In the report of the Special Investigation Commission, that was formed by Alþingi, DV was specially noted as almost the only newspaper in Iceland that questioned the Icelandic banks. As a result, the paper acquired broader readership.
Previous controversy
In January 2006, DV ran a cover story claiming that former elementary school teacher Gísli Hjartarson had sexually abused two or more boys in his home town of Ísafjörður, Northwest Iceland. Hjartarson, who had not been charged with the abuse, committed suicide the same day and cited DV's story as his reason in a letter he left for his family.
This tragedy caused popular uproar against DV with 30 thousand people (about 10% of the Icelandic population) signing an online petition demanding a new editorial policy. The editors were forced to resign.
On 4 June 2008, DV reported that The State Committee of Compensations had paid compensations to two boys in this case.