Urgent action is needed to address the financial deadlock facing Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Article

Today the partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) express concern at the critical financial situation facing Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT)

Uncovering news deserts in Europe: Risks and opportunities for local and community media in the EU - Reports

The research is focused on detecting challenges and opportunities for local and community media and identifying "news deserts" in the 27 EU Member States.

Media Capture in the Western Balkans: From captured states to captured media - Reports

The policy brief produced by Southeast European Leadership for Development and Integrity (SELDI)  provides an analytical insight into the mechanisms behind media capture in the Western Balkans countries, as a phenomenon that negatively affects the media landscape in those countries through impairment of media freedom and pluralism. With the region being on track for EU accession, media capture presents a paramount problem that the brief addresses

Silencing the Fourth Estate: Italy’s democratic drift - Article

Media freedom coalition sounds the alarm on political meddling and legal threats to journalism

Also available in ITA

Bosnia and Herzegovina: authorities must urgently break the deadlock facing public broadcasters and solve the financial problems - Article

Following the temporary interruption of the TV and radio programmes of the RTV Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 8 May 2024, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners denounce irresponsible political management, which directly violates citizens’ right to freedom of information.

Ukraine: MFRR partners highlight ongoing press freedom issues - Article

MFRR partners today highlight ongoing press freedom concerns in Ukraine, over two years following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. While Ukraine was at first quick to unite in the face of armed aggression, setting aside internal conflicts and arguments, the climate of trust between officials and independent media seems to have seriously deteriorated, two years on

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

Also available in ITA

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.

North Macedonia, media and public funds - Article

In view of the upcoming political and presidential elections, the Macedonian government has reintroduced forms of public funding for the media. However, the country's media organisations argue that the move may aggravate the influence of political interests on news outlets

By Aleksandar Samardjiev 

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA