Türkiye: Big tech should protect free speech and resist state censorship - Article

Ahead of Türkiye’s municipal elections on 31 March 2024, 22 rights groups and journalists’ organisations jointly call on social media platforms to uphold the free expression rights of their users and resist state censorship. They should also fully disclose all government requests to restrict accounts or content, and be transparent about informal government pressure to restrict content on their platforms.

Croatia, the assault on the local press - Article

2024 is the year of elections for Croatia: European, political and presidential elections will take place between next June and December. And with the electoral competitions, the race for control of the local media, particularly the regional ones, is gaining ground in a hardly transparent way

By Giovanni Vale 

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA and BHS

Trudeau against Facebook: social media, copyright, and information - Article

In protest against the new Canadian law that requires social media to pay news organisations every time a user shares a link, Facebook has blocked access to news portals, earning the condemnation of Prime Minister Trudeau. In Europe, meanwhile, new regulations are on their way on the removal of content, advertising, and disinformation

By Paola Rosà

Originally published by OBCT in ENG and ITA

The State of State Media 2022 - A global analysis of the editorial independence of state media based on the state media matrix (2022 edition) - Reports

“The State of State Media” is published by the Media and Journalism Research Center. The study analyses the level of independence of public media outlets in all continents

Poland: Letter to the Ombudsman in defence of Polska Press - Article

OBCT joins a group of media freedom organisations in a letter to the Polish Ombudsman to urge him to reconsider its decision to refrain from appealing the acquisition of Polska Press by the state-controlled oil company PKN Orlen

A letter to the incoming Czech Presidency on the European Media Freedom Act - Article

Ahead of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we signed a letter to the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala regarding the forthcoming European Media Freedom Act

Bulgaria: the media, law, and freedom of information - Legal Resources

Interview with Nelly Ognyanova, a leading Bulgarian expert on media law, by Francesco Martino, OBCT

Media Capture in Bulgaria: Hidden Alliances and Vested Interests - Reports

Third report as part of IPI’s campaign on media capture: a new report on media freedom and independence in Bulgaria. The report explores the capture of media by vested business and political interests and the corrupting relationship between media owners and politicians as they compete for power and profit

Poland: open letter to Members of Parliament in defence of media freedom - Article

OBCT joined a coalition of press freedom and journalism organizations in urgently calling on members of the Sejm, the lower house of Poland’s legislature, to oppose a draft bill that would dramatically accelerate media capture in Poland. Here the text of the letter:

Poland: MFRR partners call for stronger EU and U.S. action over 'lex TVN' - Article

The passing of the so-called 'lex TVN' would clearly undermine the ownership structure of U.S.-owned TVN and TVN24, with implications for the government's control over the country's most influential critical broadcaster