TVNorge fires topper
Traelvik cites refusal to air 'Temptation Island' as reason
Traelvik, who claims he learned his fate from a news bulletin on rival TV2 -- which also owns a piece of TVNorge -- believed he was fired because he refused to program Fox Television's reality show "Temptation Island."
Fox and SBS will produce 13 episodes for Norway, Sweden and Denmark this fall. Six couples will spend 12 days on an exotic island trying to decide whether to stay true to their partners or have flings with singles sent to the island to tempt them.
Traelvik, who is still at work because he has not been told officially he has been fired, told the board last week that he would not sked the show because it encourages infidelity.
However, board members claimed his position has been in jeopardy for months, although boss Howard Knight told local newspapers in February that "Traelvik is doing a fine job in a difficult market."
Owned by SBS (50.7%) and TV2 (49.3%), TVNorge has run up $40 million in debts during the last three years.
The station has improved its ratings recently by screening "Big Brother," which reached 1.2 million viewers and contributed $2.5 million profits to its coffers.
