A Danish court has ordered TV 2, a Danish television station, to hand over raw material from its documentary “The Black Swan”, a move the station’s editor-in-chief calls a threat to free media. The Copenhagen City Court’s decision mandates the handover of all audio and video recordings where lawyer Lise Roulund is either a participant, mentioned, or otherwise relevant.

The request for the material came from both Roulund, who faces criminal charges, and the National Unit for Special Crime (NSK). TV 2 editor-in-chief Michael Nørgaard stated that this demand for all correspondence with a source is unprecedented and raises serious concerns about protecting journalistic research and source material.

The order targets TV 2 and Wingman Media, the production company behind “The Black Swan.” The physical material is currently held by Von Mørner, a Norwegian production company that served as a co-producer for the documentary, in Norway.

TV 2 has appealed the City Court’s decision to the Eastern High Court, highlighting the severity of the ruling for the station and potentially for all free media outlets. Nørgaard emphasized that the demand for access to “all stored communication” constitutes an intrusive act that should worry any free media organization committed to safeguarding its research and sources.