About: media law

Investors or professionals: How most Hungarian media helped discrimination

Media watchdogs have been sounding the alarm over the shrinking space for media pluralism in Viktor Orbán's Hungary. EURACTIV looks into how discrimination of ethnic and social minorities has evolved in the country and how the development of its media landscape also played a role.

Legal Affairs MEPs approve watered down broadcasting rules

MEPs in the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) have approved a watered down version of an EU proposal that will regulate how much content broadcasters must show online.

Alexis Tsipras’ government is building a media oligarchy

Greece’s coalition government is building new networks of corruption while still dealing with the old ones, in a bid to control and restrict the freedom of the press, Vasilis Kikilias writes.

Greek broadcasters want exemption from wealth declaration

TV channel owners opened a new row with the Syriza-led government when they asked the country's administrative court to exempt its top executives from filing a wealth statement, citing privacy concerns.

Poland drops controversial media proposals after protests

Polish President Andrzej Duda yesterday (19 December) announced that the governing conservatives have scrapped controversial proposals to restrict media access in parliament that had fuelled opposition outcry and street demonstrations.

Pappas: Greek government won’t back down on TV licence row

EXCLUSIVE / The Syriza-led government is determined to put Greece's TV landscape in order, despite its top court’s conclusion that a relevant media law is unconstitutional, Greece’s Minister of State Nikos Pappas told EURACTIV.com.

Commission reiterates approval of Greek TV license tender

The European Commission reiterated today (27 September) that the Greek government is free to operate licensing regimes in line with domestic requirements, putting an end to an intense controversy in Athens.

Commission rebukes Greek opposition in media row

Greek lawmakers bickered yesterday (3 July) over a letter sent by EU Digital Commissioner Günther Oettinger to the government expressing serious concerns about media independence in the country.

New media law sparks intense controversy in Athens

Greek lawmakers are bickering over how to implement a new law which aims to open up competition in the media market.

Orbán says Hungary made its critics look ‘ridiculous’

Hungary has made international critics of its media law look "ridiculous" and shown that it will not take orders from abroad, including from the EU, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said yesterday (14 February). Hungary is the current holder of the EU's six-month rotating presidency.

Kroes: Commission ‘not shy’ on Hungarian media law

Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes said yesterday (11 January) that the European Commission would not make any compromise and would make sure EU law is implemented fully in the case of the controversial Hungarian media law.

Fidesz MEP: West is projecting its own frustrations on Hungary

Hungary is "sort of European" but not in the same way as France or Germany. Meanwhile it's very easy for the West to project its own feelings of disappointment on Budapest by claiming it is guilty, Hungarian MEP György Schöpflin (Fidesz; European People's Party) told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

Barroso: Media freedom is ‘our sacred principle’

Media freedom is "a sacred principle" of the European Union, José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, stated ahead of a visit alongside all his commissioners to EU presidency holder Hungary. Budapest is under fire over a controversial media law adopted recently.

France blasts Hungarian media law

France said yesterday (4 January) that a new media law passed by Hungary, which took up the EU's rotating presidency on 1 January, violated EU laws on press freedom, and called on other members of the bloc to take action against it.

Brussels and Budapest lock horns

Controversial legislation recently adopted by Hungary's ruling majority has apparently been straining relations with the European Commission since the country took over the rotating EU presidency at the beginning of the year.