MFRR to conduct an urgent mission to Italy amid worsening state of media freedom - Article

The growing pressure on press freedom in Italy has prompted the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium to organize an urgent mission to Rome on May 16 and 17. The unprecedented political interference in the public service media, the increasing cases of vexatious lawsuits against journalists, and the possible sale of the AGI news agency will be the focus of the two-day visit. Meetings will be held with institutional stakeholders, journalists, trade unions and civil society

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WPFD 2024: Media freedom groups sound the alarm over press freedom in Europe - Article

On WPFD, OBCT joins MFRR partners in drawing the attention to the more than 1,000 media freedom violations recorded in past year 

Petition against attacks on Domani newspaper, and for media freedom in Italy - Article

Over 70 international organisations and media, including the Media Freedom Rapid Response, signed a petition in support of three journalists from the daily newspaper Domani who risk up to nine years in prison. While the European Media Freedom Act promises to strengthen the protection of journalistic sources, in Italy investigative journalism risks being turned into a crime

Georgia: MFRR partners strongly condemn new attempts to introduce a law on “Transparency of Foreign Influence” - Article

The move comes one year after mass protests forced the government to withdraw a similar initiative

Safety and justice: demanding accountability for attacks against journalists in Serbia - Article

Media freedom advocates condemn 25 years of impunity for Ćuruvija’s murder

Three years later: still no justice for murdered Greek journalist - Article

Media freedom advocates reissue call to end impunity on the third anniversary of Giorgos Karaivaz's murder

Independence of Slovakia’s leading TV news channel must be protected - Article

OBCT joins the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in expressing concern about the actions of the Slovak government towards Slovakia’s leading commercial broadcaster, TV Markíza, aimed at silencing its critical journalism. We call on Markíza’s owners, the Central European Media Enterprises (CME), to resist the pressure and guarantee the editorial independence of the newsroom

Liberties Media Freedom Report 2024 - Reports

The Media Freedom Report 2024 is the third annual report on media freedom in the European Union (EU) produced by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties). It discusses relevant legislative and regulatory action at EU and national level during 2023 and maps the main trends and developments in media freedom in 19 EU Member States. It also sets forth a list of recommendations to the EU institutions to improve the media landscape in Europe and better protect media freedom and pluralism across the Union. This report features a new chapter dedicated to the European Media Freedom Act – landmark legislation that has myriad implications for media freedom and pluralism in the EU.

Call for withdrawal of Slovakia’s repressive broadcast law - Article

Slovak government attempts to take over the public broadcaster

Journalists and media freedom groups call for the urgent withdrawal of a proposed legislation allowing political control over public-service media in Slovakia. The bill threatens independent information, especially before the June European Parliament elections, contradicting the recently voted EU's Media Freedom Act

ARTICLE 19’s Ethical Journalism Awards 2024 in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia - Reports

As part of its newly launched #CheckItFirst campaign, ARTICLE 19 launches the 2024 Ethical Journalism Awards