Czech Republic: Public media funding bill raises concerns over compatibility with EMFA - Article

A new government bill which would overhaul the funding model for the Czech public media risks financially weakening the broadcasters, eroding safeguards for their financial independence and violating EMFA, MFRR partners warn today

Italy: Landmark ruling in press freedom case - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium welcomes the acquittal of Roberto Saviano in a case brought by Minister Matteo Salvini, a landmark ruling for press freedom in Italy

Fist published by OBCT, also available in Italian

Hungary: Media freedom reform must be priority for incoming Tisza government - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in calling on the new Hungarian government to make media freedom reforms a priority 

Serbia: Total impunity entrenched 27 years after killing of editor Slavko Ćuruvija - Article

Twenty-seven years after the assassination of Serbian newspaper publisher and editor Slavko Ćuruvija in Belgrade, the undersigned media freedom organisations mark the upcoming anniversary of the killing by lamenting the complete impunity for those responsible for one of the most serious attacks on journalism in the country’s history.

Analysis on Mental Health of Journalists - Reports

In recent years, the OSCE Mission to Serbia has been paying close attention to the systematic assessment and analysis of journalists’ mental health. The goal of this initiative is to collect reliable data in order to develop concrete recommendations and sustainable support measures.

Serbian authorities must stop the spiral of violence against journalists - Article

Media freedom in Serbia remains trapped in a downward spiral amidst record levels of physical violence against journalists, death threats and online smear campaigns, alarming levels of impunity, and tight political control over the media landscape, a coalition of media freedom organisations concluded.

Hungary: Espionage charges against Szabolcs Panyi mark a dangerous step toward Orbán’s authoritarian rule - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in standing in solidarity with Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi, who faces espionage charges in response to his investigations regarding Russian interference in Orban's election campaign

Women’s Day: Gender-based violence, a growing weapon against women journalists - Article

To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) publish alarming data highlighting how women journalists across Europe continue to face enhanced risk through systematic gender-based violence in the past year

North Macedonia: Appeal court ruling on Investigative Reporting Lab a worrying setback for media freedom - Article

A recent defamation decision by the Court of Appeal in North Macedonia against the Investigative Reporting Lab (IRL) is a worrying development for media freedom in the country, which should be overturned on further appeal, the partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) said today

Kosovo: International media freedom groups demand adequate budget for public broadcaster RT - Article

The undersigned international media freedom and journalist organisations today express our serious concerns about the underfunding of Kosovo’s public broadcaster, Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK), and urgently call for legal budget requirements to be met