Tarjei Leer-Salvesen is a freelance journalist based in Kristiansand, Norway. He has been working with investigative journalistic methods for documentary films as well as print publications such as Klassekampen, Dagbladet and the regional newspaper Fædrelandsvennen.
Although he has no academic background, Tarjei teaches at Lillehammer University College and NLA University College. Both colleges train journalists, and journalism is a profession where practical experience is required.
Some of the big stories Leer-Salvesen has been working on, has been related to arms trade, medical experiments and environmental issues. In all of these areas, investigative reporters are depending on whistleblowers and leakers to expose hidden truths that need to be reported. The work that Irene is doing to help whistleblowers in their struggles, is crucial.
In 2011, Tarjei was part of the team which was awarded Prix Italia for the best current affairs tv-documentary. The film, Operation Seabreeze, is the about the clash between civil activists confronting the sea-blokade of Gaza and Israeli soldiers.
One of Tarjei’s projects is a webportal that won several press awards in 2015. The site provides a free tool that makes it easy to search public documents and file FOIA-requests with Norwegian governmental institutions. The service contains millions of document entries from the university sector, the public health corporations and the police. It has been made available through the newspaper Fædelandsvennen, and can be accessed at www.innsyn.no