Åke Ortmark — Swedish journalist, broadcaster and author

Career overview

Ortmark began his national broadcasting career in 1958 when he joined Sveriges Radio. Over the following decades he moved between radio and television, developing interview formats and current‑affairs programmes. Between 1974 and 1976 he served as editor‑in‑chief of the business weekly Veckans Affärer. In the late 1990s he returned to television with his own interview programme, "O som i Ortmark", which aired on TV8 from 1997 until 2006.

Style, themes and influence

Ortmark was regarded for a direct and persistent questioning style that aimed to clarify political and economic issues for the public. He worked during a period when Swedish broadcasting expanded and professionalized, and his interviewing approach influenced colleagues and successors in current‑affairs journalism. He also contributed as a columnist and author, commenting on media, politics and public debate.

Roles and notable positions

• Broadcaster and interviewer on radio and television
• Editor‑in‑chief, Veckans Affärer (1974–1976)
• Presenter of the TV8 interview series "O som i Ortmark" (1997–2006)
• Author and columnist on public affairs

Ortmark remained an active commentator into his later years. He passed away in Stockholm on 18 October 2018 from pneumonia at the age of 89. His long career left a mark on Swedish broadcast journalism through the programmes he led and the interviewing techniques he helped popularize.