{{Short description|Norwegian TV documentary series}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox television | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = | alt_name = | genre = Documentary<br />Investigative journalism | creator = Gerhard Helskog | country = Norway | language = Norwegian | num_seasons = 4 | num_episodes = 36 | list_episodes = | runtime = | company = | channel = TV 2 | first_aired = {{start date|df=yes|1999|09|30}} | last_aired = {{end date|df=yes|2002|12|11}} | related = ''Dokument 2'' }} '''''Rikets tilstand''''' ("State of the Realm") is a Norwegian investigative documentary series that aired on TV 2 from 1999 to 2002.<ref name="seno">{{Cite news|title=Folkets tv-favoritter: Dokumentar|url=http://www.se.no/folkets/?categoryId=8|work=Se.no|publisher=Dagbladet|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305153027/http://www.se.no/folkets/?categoryId=8|archive-date=5 March 2016|language=Norwegian}}</ref> The host was Gerhard Helskog, former host of ''Dokument 2''.<ref name="seno"/> The series premiered on 30 September 1999.<ref name="seno"/>
''Rikets tilstand'' won a SKUP diploma and the Gullruten award for best documentary for the two-part episode ''Norske jenter omskjæres'' (2000), about Norwegian Muslim girls being subjected to female genital mutilation with the secret approval of imams.<ref name="Gullruten">{{Cite web|title=Gullruten|url=https://snl.no/Gullruten|work=Store norske leksikon|date=26 May 2015|language=Norwegian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Støtter omskjæring|url=http://jooh.no/root/web_pages/TV%202_no%20-%20Rikets%20Tilstand.htm|work=TV 2|date=October 2000|language=Norwegian}}</ref>
The series became subject to a scandal in 2002 after an episode made unsubstantiated allegations of doping in the Norwegian national skiing team.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Aarre, Eivind|title=Helskog: - Vi har bommet grovt|url=http://www.aftenbladet.no/sport/Helskog---Vi-har-bommet-grovt-2745426.html|work=Stavanger Aftenblad|date=22 November 2002|language=Norwegian|archive-date=14 January 2016|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114124837/http://www.aftenbladet.no/sport/Helskog---Vi-har-bommet-grovt-2745426.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The series was also tarnished for sparking a moral panic following an episode in 2001 alleging the now-discredited link between the MMR vaccine and autism.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Brekke, Bo|title=Medierikets tilstand|url=http://www.nrk.no/urix/medierikets-tilstand-1.523664|work=NRK|date=25 November 2002|language=Norwegian}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Westin, S|title=Postmoderne vaksinevegring|url=http://tidsskriftet.no/article/511369/|journal=Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association|number=8|date=20 March 2002|language=Norwegian}}</ref> Helskog was himself sued for libel (although eventually acquitted)<ref>{{Cite news|author=Hanssen, Inge D.|title=Gerhard Helskog frifunnet|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/Gerhard-Helskog-frifunnet-6290467.html|work=Aftenposten|date=30 January 2004|language=Norwegian}}</ref> by Jan Simonsen, who claimed the series had directly resulted in him being expelled from the Progress Party.<ref>{{Cite news|title=- Helskog kostet meg Frp-medlemskapet|url=http://www.side3.no/158677.html|work=Side3|publisher=Nettavisen|date=26 November 2003|language=Norwegian}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:1999 Norwegian television series debuts Category:Norwegian documentary television series Category:TV 2 (Norway) original programming Category:2002 Norwegian television series endings Category:MMR vaccine and autism