Media

Health, trust and journalism: a Coronavirus Plan for the Media

In this Open Letter to the President of the EU Commission, media stakeholders and experts, in a personal capacity, along with MEPs and former MEPs ask for the Commission to support trust in public action, and to help sustain the media in this testing time.

Eurovision becomes latest victim of coronavirus

Eurovision song contest organisers announced on Wednesday (18 March) that this year's edition - scheduled for May in the Dutch city of Rotterdam - is cancelled because of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The annual contest has run interrupted since its debut in 1956.

Bulgarian investigative journalist assaulted in Sofia

A well-known Bulgarian investigative journalist was assaulted by masked men late Tuesday outside his home on a central Sofia boulevard, sparking angry reactions from journalist organisations.

Power and journalism in Bulgaria: Deflecting embarrassing issues

The Supreme Judicial Council of Bulgaria has blamed an investigative journalist for being “aggressive” in asking questions, disregarding her discovery that the head of the country’s largest court may be holding this post in breach of the law.

EU Rapid Alert System used amid coronavirus disinformation campaign

An EU instrument designed to monitor serious cases of disinformation has been triggered following a series of online campaigns surrounding the deadly coronavirus outbreak, the European Commission has confirmed.

Media freedom and pluralism ‘key’ to Democracy Action Plan

The EU has launched a €5.1m package designed to promote media freedom and pluralism in Europe, the Commission announced on Monday. The announcement comes ahead of the presentation of the Commission's Democracy Action Plan, which will attempt to safeguard elections from malicious interference online.

Online platform regulation: French economy ministry gets up and running

While the European Commission presented its digital strategy last week, France's economy and finance ministry brought together around a hundred experts on Monday (24 February) in an attempt to sketch out ways of regulating online platforms. EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.

UK broadcasting watchdog proposed as online harms regulator

The UK government has announced plans to grant the country's broadcasting authority, Ofcom, broad new powers in regulating the spread of harmful content across social media platforms.

UK press freedom worries European journalist organisations, NGOs, politicians

Media freedom watchdogs, journalists associations and politicians have cried foul at the worsening media policies in the UK, following the banning of certain journalists from a press briefing by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and plans to decriminalise failure to pay BBC licence fees.

Alarm over BBC future as UK proposes fee changes

The British government on Wednesday (5 February) announced plans to stop prosecuting people who do not pay the BBC's compulsory subscription fee, sparking concerns about the broadcaster's future funding.

Platform regulation ‘needed’ as part of Democracy Action Plan, Jourová says

Regulation on the activities of online platforms is needed to foster a digital ecosystem that can "defend and promote democracy" the EU's Vice-President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová said on Thursday (30 January).

Facebook ‘on the side of free expression’ as EU steps up disinformation fight

Social media giant Facebook has warned against curtailing freedom of expression as the EU considers measures to clamp down on disinformation campaigns across online platforms.

Malta murder scandal exposes EU reluctance to force Muscat out

Malta's Prime Minister Josep Muscat came under increasing pressure on Thursday (12 December) as calls for his immediate resignation intensified in Brussels in an ongoing investigation over the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Anne Caruana Galizia.

Democracy and Digital: trusted media and platform regulation 

Democratic debates require trusted information, less economic pressure on media, and more policy pressure on platforms. Supporting citizens’ choices, three concepts will help the von der Leyen Commission: ‘co-regulation’, ‘trust indicators’, ‘systemic publishing platforms’. This open letter to the new...

The rising clout of digital media and the UK election

Campaigning for the decisive UK election on December 12 is going full tilt. As polarisation over Brexit overshadows Britain’s notoriously hard-to-call ballot, Jess Smee explains the impact of the media and, in particular, of digital channels.

The Brief, powered by CEPI – Survival of the unfittest

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn will face off this evening in the UK’s first presidential-style debate – the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party lost a court battle to be part of it. The BBC and Sky will hold their own debates with all four party leaders.

EU mulls disinformation regulation but admits alert system has ‘never been triggered’

The case for the EU regulation of online disinformation "will be evaluated" in the coming months ahead of a decision in early 2020, a Commission official revealed on Tuesday (29 October). At the same time, the EU's executive conceded that its disinformation alert system has never been triggered.

Copyright directive ‘not in danger’ EU says, following Google backlash

The European Commission has assured those involved that the EU's controversial copyright directive is "not in danger," following Google's announcement that it will avoid renumerating content creators by implementing technical changes to the way it displays news online.

Google wants to bypass France’s neighbouring rights

Google, the American digital giant, does not want to pay its due when the EU copyright directive comes into force in France. The online platform prefers to modify Google News rather than pay online news publishers. EURACTIV France reports.

Cooperation of four key Commissioners needed for healthy media, democracy

Democracy is at risk and requires healthy media, several portfolios from the new EU Commission are relevant. After years of fake news and weak self-regulation, this ecosystem could be rebalanced if four key Commissioners cooperate around the media sector, argues Christophe Leclercq.

France says social media platforms will still sign hate speech pledge

France said it was optimistic that U.S.-based social media platforms including Facebook and Snapchat would still sign a pledge to fight online hate speech despite a last-minute delay.

Investigation of Slovak journalist murder uncovers other serious crimes

A year and a half since the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, prosecutors said that the investigation has uncovered a ring of other crimes, including four murders and planned high-level assassinations.

Malta charges three over Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder

Three men will face trial in Malta for their alleged involvement in the murder of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia after the island's attorney general issued a bill of indictment against them, court officials said on Tuesday (16 July).

Turkish report ramps up harassment of foreign media

More than 20 human rights and freedom of expression organisations, as well as Turkish opposition, have condemned a report by a Turkish pro-government think tank, which is “blacklisting” journalists working for foreign media.