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European Media Freedom Act

EU consultation on European Media Freedom Act

The EU Commission has published an open public consultation on the planned European Media Freedom Act. After the consultation, the Commission will in the third quarter publish a proposal. The idea is to to ensure pluralism and independence of the EU media market.

The Commission has recently had discussions about media policy with the governments in Poland, Hungary and Slovenia.

Commissioner Thierry Breton has as a background mentioned that news media is struggling both with financing and with governments using state advertising to indirectly influence news media by refusing to advertise in media criticizing the government.

“The initiative will focus on eliminating barriers to the establishment and operation of media services and will aim to establish a common framework for advancing the internal market in the media sector, in view of safeguarding media freedom and pluralism in that market”, the Commission said.

Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová, said: “Media are a pillar of democracy. But today this pillar is cracking, with attempts by governments and private groups to put pressure on the media. This is why the Commission will propose common rules and safeguards to protect the independence and the pluralism of the media. Journalists should be able to do their work, inform citizens and hold power to account without fear or favour.”

Read Also:  EU Commission proposing Media Freedom Act to secure media independence

The Commission says that the consultation covers three main areas pertaining to media markets:

  • the first one focuses on transparency and independence (e.g. scrutiny of media market transactions, transparency of media ownership and audience measurement),
  • the second on conditions for their healthy functioning (e.g. exposure of the public to a plurality of views, media innovation in the EU market) and
  • the third one on fair allocation of state resources (e.g. independence of public service media, transparency and fair distribution of state advertising).”

The consultation is open until March 21.

Read Also:  Record number of European media freedom alerts

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