NRK receives more than seven billion kroner (US$726 million) in state funding every year. Even so, the state broadcaster is showing only part of the FIFA World Cup free of charge.

Venues and World Cup event organisers must pay a licence fee to show the World Cup matches.

And it gets worse. NRK has appointed the operator holding the largest public viewing contract in Oslo to monitor its own competitors, writes Avisa Oslo.

The company Fan Parks owns Fotballfesten. It has been tasked by NRK with checking that other venues hold valid licences. According to Bergens Tidende, the inspections uncovered violations at 70 per cent of the venues that were checked. The violations result in costly surcharges.

Eivor Evenrud of Oslo Labour Party (Ap) believes this is problematic.

– In fact, I believe NRK receives so much state funding that it should not have charged anything extra to broadcast this tournament, says Evenrud.

She believes NRK should either have carried out the inspections itself or used an operator that does not compete with the businesses being inspected.

– It should be fair and equal for everyone, she says.

Several businesses in the industry have reacted to the fact that their own competitor is inspecting their operations. NRK’s Head of Sponsorship, Christian Petersen, says that Fotballfesten itself must pay licence fees, just like everyone else, and that it is subject to the same requirements as all other operators.

NRK will not disclose which venues have been inspected. Nor has the broadcaster commented on Evenrud’s criticism.