Media

After Trump: Rule of law and Big Tech Regulation

The stunning events in Washington on January 6th not only showed the fragility of modern democracies but also demonstrated the untamed power of Big Tech, writes Marc Sundermann, Paolo Cesarini and Christophe Leclercq.

New player shakes up Bulgarian media landscape

United Group, a leading multi-play telecoms and media provider in South-East Europe, has bought a large chunk of the Bulgarian media, as its latest acquisition was cleared by the country’s anti-cartel body on Monday (18 January). 

Slovenia resumes funding news agency after EU warning

The Slovenian government said on Thursday (14 January) it had restored the financing of national news agency STA after Brussels warned against any attempt to pressure public media outlets.

Macron and the moguls: media strategies ahead of the presidential election

Behind the corporate battle for French media company Lagardère, there’s a political tug-of-war involving the country’s richest man, a media magnate and President Emmanuel Macron.

Canal+ wins court fight against EU, Paramount movie-licensing deal

Vivendi’s pay-TV arm Canal+ won on Wednesday its court fight against a deal between EU competition regulators and Paramount Pictures in which the U.S. studio agreed to scrap movie-licensing deals with British pay-TV group Sky UK.

The Brief, powered by Facebook – Journalism from the couch

Nine months have elapsed since journalists have had no other choice but to exercise their profession from the couch. Press briefings are held online, leaders speak in front of a microphone with no one behind it. Even institutional leaks are...

The ePrivacy saga: the false choice between privacy and funding online publishing

As the Council seems to have (yet again) failed to adopt a general approach for the ePrivacy regulation, one question that bears asking is: would more exceptions for online tracking support online publishers or the advertising industry? Karolina Iwańska argues that here is a way to sustain online publishing and uphold privacy

Diversity in media sector: Still lots of room for improvement

Europe’s newsrooms are still predominantly white and middle-class, though societies are changing at a rapid speed. Experts are calling on the sector to change and enable journalists to reflect the society they are reporting about.

Time to act against fake news

Platforms committed in 2018 to a Code of Practice against disinformation, including changes to their algorithms based on ‘Trustworthiness indicators’. As the EU prepares a Digital Services Act and Action Plans on democracy and on media, clearer references are required, write Marc Sundermann, Christophe Leclercq and Paolo Cesarini.

Media society and non-discrimination: Are we doing enough?

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You can also read the Special Report in Romanian. Racist harassment, violence, and discriminatory ethnic profiling are commonplace in Europe, which increases the importance of the role of the media in exposing discrimination based on ethnic origin. Over the years,...

Jourova: More homework remains to be done on diversity in media

The under-representation of people with a minority racial or ethnic background in the media, including in media newsrooms themselves, remains a problem that needs to be addressed, and the European Commission is ready to help with funding, Commission vice-president Věra Jourová told EURACTIV in a written interview.

Canada, Britain give first media freedom award to Belarus journalists

The first ever Media Freedom Award, bestowed by the governments of Britain and Canada, was given Monday (16 November) to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the foreign ministries of the two countries said.

Media plurality in Europe

Smaller independent media are struggling to survive in the wake of COVID-19. The EU should do more to protect media plurality, money needs to go to the support of the media sector, without the risk that those outlets end up being forced to take a specific message or narrative, writes Dace Melbarde.

The Brief, powered by Martens Centre – Killing them softly

Since 2015, 335 journalists have been killed across the globe, nine of them in Europe, and this figure does not include citizens journalists, and media assistants. In nine out of ten cases, the killers go unpunished. A further 247 journalists are currently behind bars.

Media recovery beyond regulation: a NEWS bundle across Creative Europe and Horizon, like MEDIA

The current EU budget negotiations risk squeezing programmes like Creative Europe, with the same crumbs as before for the struggling press. In addition to GAFA regulation, and learning from MEDIA dedicated to audiovisual and film, bundling scattered efforts under NEWS could sustain the media sector’s transformation, write a group of MEPs and media experts and Christophe Leclercq

Jourova promises action plan to protect independent journalism

The European Commission (EC) will present by the end of the year an action plan to protect independent journalism, Commission Vice President Věra Jourová announced on Monday (12 October) during the conference "Media Freedom in Bulgaria", organised by EURACTIV Bulgaria.

France to decide whether Google can be forced to negotiate ‘neighbouring rights’ with the press

The Paris Court of Appeal will rule Thursday (8 October) on whether the country's competition authority had the power to require Google to negotiate with the French press on so-called "neighbouring rights" which allow online newspaper publishers to be remunerated for publishing extracts of their articles on Google News.

New rules in Bulgaria’s parliament building: Journalists cry foul

Protests in Bulgaria asking for the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev have entered their third month. Against this background the Bulgarian parliament has become a fortress in which journalists are treated as the enemy. EURACTIV Bulgaria reports.

Bulgaria ruling party defiant as protests turn violent

Bulgaria's ruling conservative party on Thursday (3 September) resisted calls for Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's government to resign, after two months of protests against his perceived tolerance of corruption erupted into the most violent day yet.

Shock as Slovak court acquits businessman of journalist murder

The case of a murdered investigative journalist delivered a new shock in Slovakia Thursday, as a high-profile businessman was acquitted of ordering the killing that ultimately exposed high-level political corruption and toppled the governing party.

EU says Belarus restrictions on foreign media ‘not acceptable’

The EU criticised “arbitrary restrictions” on foreign media after Belarusian authorities on Saturday (29 August) withdrew the accreditation of journalists working for several foreign news organisations, ahead of the latest demonstration challenging the results of the presidential election.

EU and US politicians: Facebook must do more to stop online sexism

Facebook Inc must step up and protect women in politics from threats of violence and sexism and hate on its platform, said a letter to the company from female members of the US Congress such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top female politicians from the EU.

Protests in Bulgaria are also about media freedom

Protests in Bulgaria are a genuine civil protest against the party-state and in favour of basic democratic rights such as media freedom, writes Maria Stoyanova.

Mass resignations at Hungary’s biggest news site as fallout from editor’s sacking continues

Nearly 60 journalists have resigned from the 90-member editorial team of Index, Hungary's leading independent media outlet, in what is being described as a devastating blow to the country's free press and media plurality.