European Democracy Shield: Bolstering independent media at the core of democratic resilience - Article

In the face of rising digital manipulation, shrinking civic space and collapsing media business models, the European Democracy Shield offers an important opportunity to ensure safety of journalists and media viability, among other things, but only if turned into concrete action. This is what MFRR aims to follow

EU Enlargement Package: Assessments must now translate into meaningful media freedom action - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today welcomes the publication of the 2025 EU Enlargement Package  and highlights key media freedom developments and concerns that should shape negotiations with candidate countries moving forward

MFRR Summit - Safeguarding journalism, defending democracy - Reports

This year’s MFRR Summit feeds into EU Democracy Shield policy discussions and highlights journalism as vital democratic infrastructure. Drawing on MFRR’s monitoring, missions, and policy work, the event will explore five key pillars of media resilience: economic viability, safety, legal protection, AI governance, and implementation of safeguards

Hungary: Foreign funding bill poses most serious threat to independent media in years - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in urging the EU to take action against Hungary’s proposed foreign funding bill, which poses a serious threat to freedom of expression and media freedom

CMPF Summer School for Journalists and Media Practitioners - Reports

The call for the 2025 CMPF Summer School for Journalists and Media Practitioners is now open. From June 23 to June 27 2025, this year’s edition will be exploring journalism, tech, and democracy in a rapidly evolving information landscape. 

Country Report: Albania - Article

The media sector in Albania is rather unstable. While certain areas have seen progress, the state of media freedom and protection for journalists remains precarious and needs stronger safeguards

By Sukanya Sengupta 

EMMA 2025 Conference: Empowering Media through Sustainable and Human- Centered Innovations - Reports

The European Media Management Association (EMMA) has announced its 2025 annual conference, scheduled for June 3-5, 2025, at the Luiss Business School in Rome

Islands of integrity: the struggle of independent media in Albania - Article

Lufti Dervishi, a founding member of the Albanian Center for Quality Journalism, emphasises the challenges that Albanian journalism faces today. The media are entangled in corruption, self-censorship, and state-sponsored disinformation. However, not everything is negative, and there is still reason for hope

By Luisa Chiodi, Sukanya Sengupta

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Albania: freedom of the press crushed by the weight of politics - Article

Almost non-existent professional ethics, capture of the media by politics and financial unsustainability are just some of the main issues that make the Albanian media landscape particularly alarming. An interview

By Luisa Chiodi

Originally published on OBCT , also available in ITA

Media Freedom Mission to Romania questions fairness of electoral coverage - Article

Urgent reform of political funding for ‘press and propaganda’ needed to end media dependency on political parties