Knut Haavik was a sparkling boss. And he did See and Hear Norway’s largest weekly magazine, a title the magazine had for a number of years from the 1990s.
D a “news magazine Look and Listen” , as it first was named, was launched in 1978, ordered Knut Haavik, the country’s perhaps most exclusive office chair and the price was then. When regnskapssjefen received the invoice, he contacted immediately Knut Haavik. “Such invoices, we are not accustomed to here on the house”, said regnskapssjefen. “That you must just get used to you”, was the reply from Knut. And so it was.
STARTED to SEE AND HEAR: Knut Haavik came from the VG and then he started to See and Hear in 1978. When the blade celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, he was hedersgjest. Photo: Tor Kvello / See and Hear the Show more
Knut Haavik introduced kjendisjournalistikken in Norway. One of his journalistic teachings was that “a yes is a yes, a no is a maybe”. Knut did not give in before the matter was in the box. “A ramp in the limelight” – so described the Knut Haavik itself. Today all the newspapers, websites, radio and tv kjendisjournalistikk who have been affected by his life’s work. Knut joked often that in his obituary came to be: “Say what you will about Knut Haavik, but he managed at least to destroy the VG and Dagbladet.
But he was not only concerned about the economy and kjendiseri. The former editor took the initiative to get cleared up a number of this joke in Norway. Without him, many had been sitting behind the lock and turn without get the oppreisningen they are entitled to.
Knut was real – and extremely generous. He was simply amazing. Under lønnsforhandlingene a time in the 1980s, he ran to the duel – back to back with redaksjonsklubbens leader. Both with their envelope in hand. When they switched the envelopes, and they were opened, it turned out that the offer from the management was higher than the requirement from the club! It was not more talk about the bargaining that year…
Knut Haavik was directly in his speech. During my first meeting with him after I had taken over as the responsible editor, he said. “Ulf, you are thick. There you must write about in the slots. It can help others. You are struggling with the food – I with the alcohol. Honesty creates closeness to the reader. And you must never forget that”. Haavik wrote over 1000 personal leaders of his time. And these are probably the most read the comments in the Norwegian press.
last year have a Look and Listen had a close contact with its founder. He steered the blade jubileumsutgave, was hedersgjest under 40-birthday celebration last fall – and he held several lectures for the magazine’s faithful readers. Every week he was on the thread from Spain with their great ideas and input. Right before christmas we were a bunch of old colleagues who traveled to Spain to celebrate the 75th anniversary of his together with him and his wife Sol “Casa Haavik” in Malaga. This set immensely appreciated. He said that the past year had been a wonderful experience and that it was fun to be back in the limelight. And he believed that he had more to contribute with on the golf course. And it was also here that he spent his last day with their loved ones Sun, and good friends.
Knut Haavik is not dead. His legacy will live on in the Look and Listen. Our thoughts go out to his wife and his immediate family.
Thank you for the party, Knut. Rest in peace. On behalf of all of us in the Look and Listen.
