Media Confidential Only in Denmark? The ‘existential editor’ covering life, death, love and everything in between
Dec 18, 2025
Lina Vauben, the existential editor at the Danish newspaper Politiken, dives into the intricate stories of life, love, and death. She discusses her impactful reporting in a palliative care ward, where she gained trust from families during difficult moments. Lina emphasizes the importance of reflecting complexity in journalism, especially around sensitive topics like assisted dying. Her insights showcase how existential stories resonate deeply, outperforming typical metrics while advocating for human-interest narratives in an increasingly AI-driven media landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Turning Abstract Topics Into News
- The existential desk turns abstract topics like death and love into concrete, human-centred narratives tied to current debates.
- Lina frames such stories to show why readers should care now, linking them to politics, health and social trends.
Embedded Reporting In A Palliative Ward
- Lina spent weeks embedded in a hospital palliative care unit to observe how patients and families experience the end of life.
- She sat quietly with a notepad until staff and relatives stopped noticing her presence, enabling intimate reporting.
Following A Man Who Chose To Die
- Lina followed a 77-year-old man in the months before he ended his life and was present when he mixed the lethal medication.
- Editors barred her from the actual moment, so she and a photographer waited outside and re-entered minutes after his death.