The Finnish journalist Matti Kuusela has been praised for his journalism – now he admits that several of the events in his articles are made up.
The newspaper Aamulehti announces that over 500 articles will be depublished.
– My conscience is clear, says Kuusela.
He has won the best news text of the year and been praised for his in-depth journalism. Now Matti Kuusela admits that several of the events he wrote about are made up.
In his autobiography, he tells about a description of the meeting with the Finnish poet and writer Eeve-Liisa Manner. A meeting that never took place – as he was too shy to come forward.
“Imagination and entertainment”
Kuusela also writes that he completely made up a novel by Per-Olov Eklöf – an author who does not exist.
“When I was younger, I was in the habit of using my imagination and entertainment and slipped benevolent fiction into factual texts,” he writes.
Matti Kuusela worked for 40 years at the newspaper Aamulehti. Following the confession, his former employer has chosen to delete 551 of his published articles.
Aamulehti’s editor-in-chief Sanna Keskinen calls the decision “exceptional but necessary”.
– The journalistic rules oblige us to ensure that our texts are truthful. The public has a right to true information, she says Swedish EPN.
Critical to unpublish
Matti Kuusela tells EPN that he never changed anything that an interviewee has said – but claims that it was rather about stylistic exaggerations, sarcasm and jokes. He believes that all “rational readers” recognize what is made up.
To the news agency STT, he says that Aamulehti’s questioning of his journalism is “absurd” and considers it “amazing” that they are deleting his articles.
Eero Hyvönen, chairman of Responsible Journalism, is also critical of the decision.
– I understand that this is done while the review is in progress, so that the corrective measures can be directed correctly. We do not recommend removing articles, as they are part of history that should be available, he tells STT.
At the same time, he emphasizes the importance of informing readers about what information is not true.