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Åke Ortmark

1929 – 2018

Swedish journalist, writer and television programme host

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About Åke Ortmark

Lived 1929 – 2018 (aged 89). Åke Ortmark was a Swedish journalist and television presenter.

Åke Helge Ortmark (14 May 1929 – 18 October 2018) was a Swedish journalist, author and radio and television presenter. During a long career he worked for both television and radio; he also authored several books.

Early life Ortmark was born in Stockholm, and grew up in Ålsten.

During the early 1950s he studied economics at the University of California in the United States. Ortmark earned a Master of Science in Business and Economics at Handelshögskolan in Stockholm in 1954.

Career Ortmark started working at Sveriges Radio in 1958. He was for some time a newsreader for Aktuellt which was broadcast on Sveriges Television. Together with Herbert Söderström, Ortmark pioneered the technique named "Skjutjärnsjournalistik" (hard-hitting journalism) in Swedish, on Sveriges Radio in 1962. As part of "De tre O:na", he became known for using the technique alongside Lars Orup and Gustaf Olivecrona in live broadcast on Sveriges Television in 1966 while interviewing Prime Minister Tage Erlander. In 1997, he was the television presenter for his own interview show O som i Ortmark which was broadcast on TV8 until 2006, by which time Ortmark decided to leave to work for Axess TV.

Ortmark received the television award Kristallen in 2005 in the category Stiftelsens hederspris (the Foundation's Honour Award) for his work in TV and dedication for news and discussions.

On 25 June 2006, Ortmark took part in Sommar i P1 talking about his career and life. In 2008, he was member of Humanisternas (the humanists) council.

In 2013, Ortmark published his memoirs called Makten och lögnen – ett liv i televisionens Sverige which told about his career in journalism. After his divorce, he married Annika Roth in 1974. Ortmark was the father of three children.

Ortmark died on 18 October 2018 after a short time of illness at the age of 89. 1967 – Maktspelet i Sverige

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Stockholm School of Economics, University of California
Employers
Svenska Dagbladet, Sveriges Radio, Veckans Affärer
Awards
Kristallen Honorary Award

People in Åke Ortmark's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Åke Ortmark's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Åke Ortmark?

Swedish journalist, writer and television programme host

When was Åke Ortmark born?

Åke Ortmark was born on 14 May 1929 in Sankt Matteus.

When did Åke Ortmark die?

Åke Ortmark died on 18 October 2018 in Gothenburg.

What was Åke Ortmark's occupation?

Åke Ortmark was a journalist and television presenter.

What nationality was Åke Ortmark?

Åke Ortmark was Swedish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Åke Ortmark

· Wikidata: Q6029797

· DBpedia: Åke Ortmark

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Åke Ortmark. https://biography.guide/ake-ortmark/

MLA: "Åke Ortmark." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ake-ortmark/.

Chicago: "Åke Ortmark." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ake-ortmark/.

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