According to most independent accounts, the situation of media freedom and pluralism in the European Union is worsening.1 European institutions have, so far, refrained from taking issue with individual member states for such deterioration. This “hands off” approach seems to have contributed to a negative domino effect, with worsening of legislation in one country (i.e. Italy) leading to restrictive moves in another (i.e. Hungary). A Europe-wide civil society initiative to push for a stronger role for European institutions in safeguarding and protecting the independence and pluralism of the media is long overdue.
In order to address this, since 2010 European Alternatives and Alliance International de Journalists have been working towards the establishment of a European Initiative for Media Pluralism, a coalition promoting the idea that European institutions should safeguard the right to independent and pluralistic information as sanctioned by the new European Charter on Fundamental Rights.
The Initiative ran several conferences throughout Europe and in the European Parliament, and is working on the possibiltiy of establishing a campaign directed at the European institutions to bring about a substantial improvement in legislation regarding media pluralism and freedom. Legislation within current EU competences to be improved includes:
The implementation of the European Commission's own Media Pluralism Monitor, employing clear indicators for threats to media pluralism in the Member States;
And/Or
The definition of clearer and more effective antitrust legislation at EU level governing concentration in media and publicity.
The European Initiative for Media Pluralism promotes the idea that European institutions should safeguard the right to independent and pluralistic information as sanctioned by the European Charter on Human Rights.
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