Aftenposten
Norway's largest printed newspaper and newspaper of record.
Aftenposten, whose name translates to "The Evening Post," was founded by Christian Schibsted on 14 May 1860 as *Christiania Adresseblad* and renamed the following year. It is Norway’s largest printed newspaper by circulation and serves as the country’s newspaper of record. Based in Oslo, the paper sold 211,769 daily copies in 2015 (172,029 printed copies, according to the University of Bergen) and had an estimated 1.2 million readers. It converted from broadsheet to compact format in March 2005. The paper is a private company wholly owned by the public company Schibsted ASA, which also owns Norway’s second-largest newspaper, VG; Norwegian owners held 42% of Schibsted shares at the end of 2015. Aftenposten employs about 240 people, and Trine Eilertsen became editor-in-chief in 2020. It maintains foreign correspondents in Kyiv, Brussels, Washington D.C., Moscow, and Istanbul as of 2025.
Historically, Aftenposten labelled itself "independent, conservative" and aligned closely with the Norwegian Conservative Party, notably displaying blunt anticommunism during the interwar period. During World War II, its large circulation led German occupational authorities to impose Nazi editorial management; editor-in-chief H. Nesse was arrested and imprisoned in Grini concentration camp. The paper has printed two daily editions since 1885. A Sunday edition ran until 1919 and was reintroduced in 1990. The Friday-morning edition includes the *A-magasinet* supplement covering science, politics, and the arts. In 1886, Aftenposten became the first Norwegian newspaper to acquire a rotary press. In the late 1980s, editor-in-chief Egil Sundar attempted to transform the paper into a nationally distributed newspaper but was forced to resign. A separate evening edition, *Aften*, circulated only in Oslo and Akershus counties until it ceased publication on 20 December 2012. The online edition launched in 1995.
- Founder
- Christian Schibsted
- Headquarters
- Oslo, Norway
- Editor-in-Chief (2020)
- Trine Eilertsen
- Language
- Riksmål (moderate Bokmål)
- Political alignment
- Independent, conservative (historically; now independent centre-right)
Lore & Background
During World War II, under German occupation, a Nazi editorial management was imposed; editor-in-chief H. Nesse was arrested and imprisoned in Grini concentration camp. In the late 1980s, editor-in-chief Egil Sundar attempted to transform it into a nationally distributed newspaper but was forced to resign. Founded in 1860 as *Christiania Adresseblad* by Christian Schibsted, it was renamed *Aftenposten* the following year. It became the first Norwegian newspaper to acquire a rotary press in 1886. Historically labeling itself "independent, conservative," it aligned closely with the Norwegian Conservative Party and displayed blunt anticommunism during the interwar period. It has printed two daily editions since 1885; a Sunday edition existed until 1919 and was reintroduced in 1990. The Friday-morning edition includes the *A-magasinet* supplement covering science, politics, and the arts. The paper converted from broadsheet to compact format in March 2005. Its online edition launched in 1995. A separate evening edition, *Aften*, was published for Oslo and Akershus counties, focusing on local news; it converted to tabloid in 1997 and ceased publication in December 2012. The paper has around 240 employees and correspondents in Kyiv, Brussels, Washington D.C., Moscow, and Istanbul as of 2025. Trine Eilertsen became editor-in-chief in 2020.
Reader's Guide
Aftenposten, founded in 1860 as Christiania Adresseblad and renamed the following year, is Norway’s largest printed newspaper and its newspaper of record, based in Oslo. As a private company wholly owned by Schibsted ASA, it sold 211,769 daily copies in 2015 and estimated 1.2 million readers. The paper converted from broadsheet to compact format in 2005 and launched its online edition in 1995. It employs around 240 people, with Trine Eilertsen as editor-in-chief since 2020, and maintains foreign correspondents in Kyiv, Brussels, Washington D.C., Moscow, and Istanbul as of 2025. Historically, Aftenposten labeled itself “independent, conservative” and aligned closely with the Norwegian Conservative Party, notably expressing blunt anticommunism during the interwar era. During World War II, German occupational authorities imposed a Nazi editorial management due to the paper’s large circulation, and its editor-in-chief H. Nesse was arrested and imprisoned in Grini concentration camp. The paper has faced controversies, including erroneously announcing Olav Duun as the 1926 Nobel Prize in Literature winner, opposing the 1935 Nobel Peace Prize for Carl von Ossietzky, and publishing Knut Hamsun’s obituary of Adolf Hitler in 1945 under German censorship. In 2007, it apologized for defaming Julia Svetlichnaya, and in 2011 it was criticized for promoting conspiracy theories about convicted spy Arne Treholt. A 2016 study found Aftenposten used the epithet “neger” at the highest frequency among Norwegian newspapers between 1970 and 2014. In 2021, it faced criticism for allegedly publishing transphobic content, and in 2026, a column depicting Narendra Modi as a snake charmer drew controversy. The paper’s evening edition, Aften, ceased publication in December 2012.
Origins and Institutional Growth
The Friday-morning A-magasinet supplement, devoted to science, politics, and the arts, added a cultural layer to the weekly cycle. Today, based in Oslo, Aftenposten holds the dual distinction of being Norway's largest printed newspaper by circulation and the country's newspaper of record, with an estimated readership of 1.2 million.
Editorial Lineage and the Occupation Shadow
Aftenposten long described itself as independent and conservative, with its editorial platform tracking most closely the Norwegian Conservative Party. During the interwar years that alignment surfaced as blunt anticommunism. The paper's relationship with political power turned far darker under World War II. Because of its wide circulation, the German occupational authorities placed Aftenposten under their directives and imposed a Nazi editorial management. Editor-in-chief H. Nesse was arrested and sent to Grini concentration camp. The episode remains among the most painful chapters in the paper's long history. In the late 1980s, editor Egil Sundar tried to reposition Aftenposten as a nationally distributed newspaper but was forced to resign over the attempt, a reminder of how tightly the paper's identity was bound to its editorial and geographic traditions.
A Record of Controversies and Corrections
Aftenposten's history is marked by episodes where its reporting or editorial judgment drew sharp public criticism. London correspondent Hilde Harbo later admitted she had accepted disinformation from the Russian emigrant community without proper investigation, and the paper was forced to apologize and cover Svetlichnaya's legal costs. A 2016 study found Aftenposten used the epithet neger more frequently than any other Norwegian paper between 1970 and 2014, with 674 references. In 2021, the youth wing of Norway's LGBTQ+ association criticized the paper for articles promoting transphobic conspiracy theories.
Modern Structure, Ownership, and Global Reach
Aftenposten operates as a private company wholly owned by the publicly traded Schibsted ASA, which also holds Norway's second-largest newspaper, VG. The paper's international footprint extends through correspondents stationed in Kyiv, Brussels, Washington D.C., Moscow, and Istanbul. Domestically, Aftenposten once maintained a separate evening edition called Aften, circulated on weekdays and Saturdays in Oslo and Akershus counties, focused on local news in contrast to the morning edition's national and international scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Aftenposten?
Aftenposten is Norway's top-circulating print newspaper and the country's newspaper of record. It is headquartered in Oslo and has been under the Schibsted ASA corporate umbrella for its entire existence.
What political stance does Aftenposten take?
The paper has traditionally leaned toward the conservative Høyre party but now describes itself as an independent centre-right outlet. It publishes in Riksmål, a moderate form of Bokmål Norwegian.
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