It has also provided funding for controversial projects, e.g. an upcoming book written by the blogger Fjordman,[1] who calls for the deportation of all Muslims from Europe.

The owners of the kiosk chain Narvesen wanted to transform his chain of newspaper and magazine retailers to an institution, and on 1 January 1975 the company was taken over by the newly created foundation Fritt Ord at the same time it merged with the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) company Norsk Spisevognselskap, who offered services within catering to the railway.

Rudeng on his side defended the decision by stating that Fritt Ord only sponsored the literature festival in 2008 and thus it was high time their logo was removed when the program for 2009 was presented.

[7] This prompted some commentators to address the paradox of a self-proclaimed "free speech" organization which involves itself in a campaign to stop a controversial voice like that of David Irving from being heard in Norway.

[15] The decision was supported by Aftenposten journalist Erik Tornes who argued the grant was a cheap price to pay to get "the extremists out of the echochambers"[16] and by Norway's Minister of Culture Hadia Tajik.