The first Swedish blogger bites the dust

Outspoken Swedish political blogger and public service TV producer Per Gudmundson has been told in no uncertain terms to shut down his increasingly popular eponymous blog: “My boss says the blog runs counter to our policy of refraining from public commentary and action that could be construed as biased.” 

Swedish public service broadcasting has recently been embroiled in controversy over the impartiality of its news reporting following unfortunate comments by a political reporter regarding her unabashed support for then-U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry. Gudmundson quite aptly noted in his final post: “I’m doubtless a walking PR disaster.” 

Indeed. The Gudmundson case is a wake-up call for Big Media in Sweden. Journalists could be blogging on their spare time, exposing their unwitting employers to unnecessary negative publicity or scrutiny. Imagine, for instance, being the CEO of SVT, Sweden’s public service television broadcaster, and getting the following question from a journalist: “One of your employees wrote on her weblog that the prime minister should be shot for his comments on gender equality. Any comment?” Yikes. 

Gudmundson did the right thing by telling his employer, though belatedly, about his blog; however, he should have had that conversation months ago. 

Hopefully, media companies will now recognize the communicative power inherent in blogs and create a workable blogging policy for inclined employees. Bloggers can be excellent ambassadors for businesses and organizations, but there has to be a clear set of guidelines in place. The point is not to stifle creativity or freedom of expression, but rather to recognize that as an employee one is a de facto spokesperson.

That said, I'm sad to see Gudmundson disappear from Sweden's blogging landscape.  His special brand of irreverence and wit will be sorely missed. //Billy McCormac

Update (response to "Clooney"): Per is not getting fired... he has been asked to shutter his blog. More, Per does not just have any old job: he is the producer--i.e., he is in charge of content for--two news programs on a public service channel.

I believe there is room in public service for bloggers; however, Per should have been upfront with his employer before launching the blog. Indeed, most of the people in management there have no idea what a blog is.

How are they supposed to "get it" if it is sprung on them? Per should have approached them much earlier with a proposal and guidelines.

Further, Swedish public service is facing a great deal of scrutiny about its impartiality. They'd rather remove all doubt than green-light a project that, in their eyes, will only draw more negative press.

Hopefully, they will be smart about this and draw up a set of workable blogging guidelines for staff. After all, Swedish public service journalists (e.g. Björn Elmbrant) write opinionated books on politics and they are still permitted to report the news.