About: media pluralism

Protecting journalism is not synonymous with protecting the interests of big press publishers

The review of the EU Copyright Directive must ensure that publishers, regardless of their size, equally benefit from this reform, writes Carlos Astiz.

Updating copyright rules for news: There’s a better way

The EU Copyright directive should avoid making reforms that takes away publishers’ choices about how to distribute and make money with their content online, writes Richard Gingras.

Edwy Plenel: Europe needs participative media against populism

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker must  operate in a participative democracy if he wants to carve a proper plan to re-launch the European construction. That is true also for the media, Edwy Plenel said in an interview with EURACTIV.com.

European Parliament expresses concern over media pluralism in France

Media freedom and pluralism in several EU countries is degrading, according to a European Parliament report, which focussed on France and six other countries. EURACTIV France reports.

Only four Greek TV channels get licences, eight to close

Greece cut sharply today (2 September) the number of television channels operating in the country, awarding just four broadcasting licences to an industry which authorities say is mired in mismanagement and corruption.

Media freedom and plurality is struggling in Eastern Europe

The European Union must do more to tackle endemic corruption and the lack of media pluralism in Central and Eastern Europe, writes Juan Garcia.

Should Europe boldly go into the media battleground?

Media policy is a tough challenge facing the new Commission, writes William Horsley. He advocates greater guarantees against interference, and also new business models.

7 experts on Europe’s biggest media innovators

The media's search for new business models and the potential of new and social media has brought about a wave of enterprises and entrepreneurs across EU member states. What are Europe’s most innovative news applications and initiatives? EURACTIV asked the experts.

Robert Madelin: EU ‘not putting its money where its mouth is’ on broadband

Europe is lagging behind on super-fast internet connections, warns Commission director general Robert Madelin, in charge of digital matters. In a broad interview with EURACTIV, he also speaks about emerging issues for the incoming Juncker Commission.

Media freedom in Serbia is under threat, EU Commission must act

The repression of journalists and media organisations in Serbia has worsened in recent months, as journalists are summoned and websites are blocked. The EU Commission drew attention to the issue before; now it is time to push for regulation, writes Smiljana Vukoji?i? Obradovi?.

A Google tax to support the ailing press?

Closing the loopholes in tax laws that unfairly benefit Google must be clearly distinguished from the discussion of possible support to the ailing press, writes Jan Malinowski.

EU speechless over Hungary’s contentious media law

The European Commission took a cautious stance Wednesday (22 December) over a controversial "media constitution" in Hungary that has been heavily criticised for restricting press freedom in the country taking up the EU's rotating six-month presidency. EURACTIV.hu contributed reporting from Budapest.

MEPs call for EU law to defend media pluralism

National governments and the European Commission should do more to protect media pluralism and press freedom in Europe, argued a cross-party group of MEPs yesterday (8 June), calling for financial support to help the European media sector survive the crisis. 

Parliament votes down EU moves on press freedom

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi this week (21 October) avoided official condemnation by the European Parliament, highlighting divisions among MEPs over what some see as a purely national issue.

Euronews to launch Turkish service in 2010

TV channel Euronews will launch its ninth language version - Turkish - in January 2010, in partnership with Turkey's national public broadcaster, TRT. Philippe Cayla, president of the executive board of Euronews, gave EURACTIV more details yesterday (3 March).

Media regulation in the Internet age

The fast-moving world of Web-based media has long been defined by a lack of regulation, but as legislators and industry begin to grapple with reigning in the Internet, issues of state aid, freedom of expression and intellectual property have come to the fore.

Why is Britain Eurosceptic?

The British Eurosceptic press constitutes a "serious problem" for any British government that tries to engage with the EU, argues Charles Grant, director of the London-based Centre for European Reform, in a December 2008 paper.

Journalists sound alarm over press freedom in Europe

Journalists throughout Europe, both east and west, are faced with a growing pattern of censorship and pressure including physical violence and intimidation, according to a survey by the Association of European Journalists (AEJ). What's more, the EU is failing to stand up for them, the AEJ adds.

Media pluralism ‘lifeblood’ of EU democracy

In proposals presented on 15 January 2007, Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding and Commission Vice President Margot Wallström announced three steps towards greater media pluralism in the EU.

Media ownership in Europe: the bigger picture

A new report by the European Federation of Journalists highlights the problems of the growing concentration of the media in the EU and beyond - a call for action to protect media plurality. 

Co-Regulation Measures in the EU Media Sector

This study, commissioned by DG Infsoc from the Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research in Hamburg, and the Institute of European Media Law in Saarbrücken, (Germany)  aims at providing a complete picture of co-regulatory measures taken to date in the media sector in all 25 EU Member States and in three non-EU-countries, as well as of the research already done in this field.

The publishing industry [Archive]

DG Information Society has made boosting the competitiveness of the European print industry a priority. To this end, the Commission held, in autumn 2005, a consultation to gather stakeholders' views on the policies needed for the industry. 

European TV getting dumber and dumber, study says

A hard-hitting report by the Open Society Institute criticises dumbing down and trivialisation of TV content throughout Europe, as a result of ineffective regulation and insufficient funding of high-quality public service TV. 

Commission to smooth the way for publishers

DG Information Society has begun a consultation to define its policies to boost the competitiveness of the European print industry.