"The state of the media and democracy in Turkey faces critical challenges that hinder freedom of
...
expression and pluralism, due to restrictive legal frameworks, economic instability, and cross-ownership in the media sector. Although digitalization has transformed news consumption, the government’s control over online platforms increases concerns about censorship and reinforces practices of self-censorship. Public trust in the media continues to decline, driven by perceptions of political influence and biased reporting. Similarly, democracy is plagued with issues, as global rankings point to decline in Turkish democracy, while concerns about judicial independence persist. While elections with high voter turnout do occur, this may only be interpreted as a pattern of practicing democracy rather than a sign of democratic strength. Urgent and comprehensive reforms are needed to ensure judicial independence, create a pluralistic media environment, increase transparency, and protect press freedom." (Executive summary)
more
"Liberal democracies must continue to consistently stand up for internet freedom, democracy and human rights. Germany and the European Union are
...
regarded as role models. It is imperative therefore that they refrain from presenting legislative initiatives themselves that restrict the human right to privacy. In addition to gas, the dependency on imported chips has become apparent following the Russian war against Ukraine and the COVID pandemic. A comprehensive and regular stress test for digital and technological dependencies can minimise risks and strengthen Germany’s and Europe’s sovereignty. Undersea cables that transmit data from continent to continent are currently insufficiently protected; indeed, they have come increasingly under the sway of Chinese and American big tech companies. Satellite internet especially can currently only be provided by private companies. To prevent the danger of sabotage and dependency, strategic measures must be taken and capacity built up. Political engagement in space is no game: it is a geopolitical imperative. Only in this way can the required infrastructure be provided in case of armed conflict or environmental catastrophes such as the Ahrtal floods of 2021. With a strategy for international digital policy, Germany is called upon to reconfirm the fact that it has understood the importance of this topic and wishes to work as an important actor in the future. To this end, the Federal Government should develop an ambitious, cross-ministerial strategy with the involvement of civil society. In parallel, existing global partnerships should be strengthened and new ones set up. This relates both to allies such as the USA, with the Trade and Technology Council, and partners like India and Brazil. The “partnership of equals” must be more than an empty phrase to Africa and elsewhere in the Global South. For agreement in international committees such as the ITU, a strong democratic foundation is required." (Executive summary, page 4)
more
"The media situation in Belarus has never been easy. With Aliaksandr Lukashenka being elected president of the country for
...
the first time in 1994, the necessary reforms to provide media freedom have never materialised. Instead, over the years various laws have lessened the rights of independent journalists and imposed limits on both traditional and electronic media. Following the August 2020 presidential election, which ignited a brutal crackdown against the democratic opposition, the situation has worsened. Harassment, a hijacking, and politically motivated jail terms, both short and long, intimidate Belarusians who want to exchange ideas, report wrongdoing or fight for freedom of expression and freedom for the country. In January 2022, the Belarusian Association of Journalists confirmed the presence of at least 32 journalists in Belarusian jails. On the positive side, new electronic media cannot be banned effectively and absolutely. While the regime slowly expands its presence on the internet, Belarusians trust independent media more and use it more eagerly. However, society’s distancing of itself from traditional state-controlled media is increasingly met with an angry reaction from the state apparatus, which in turn further tightens related laws. The European Union, and the European Parliament in particular, actively support independent media and civil society in Belarus, and the Council of the EU and the Parliament both address the challenges to media freedom in the country. Financial help is also provided to Belarus and was even increased at the end of 2021, with priority areas of support including ‘systematically repressed’ independent media." (Summary)
more
"The Council of the European
...
Union [...] invites the Commission and member states, within their areas of competence and in due compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, to: 42. continue and undertake further efforts in terms of a systematic, comprehensive and cross-sectoral approach to developing media literacy and raising awareness of the importance of media literacy; national efforts undertaken in this perspective, including funding initiatives, should be accompanied at EU level; 43. foster better use of the possibilities offered by EU funds and EU programmes to support media education and diverse media literacy projects and initiatives (e.g. support for the media through the Creative Europe programme, in particular the new action on support for the media) and to develop additional funding sources as well as create synergies between the relevant EU programmes; 44. ensure that media literacy measures targeting minors under the Better Internet for Children Strategy keep pace with the continuously evolving digital environment; 45. finance and foster systematic and regular research into media literacy and the impact of media and digital platforms (e. g. systematic research on media literacy measures and initiatives; research into the influence of new media and communication platforms on well-being of citizens; research into the operation of algorithms and AI and their influence on public opinion, people’s lives, and media consumption, as well as on the European media and audiovisual industry); 46. support the audiovisual industry in developing quality European content and distribution platforms, taking into account the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the audiovisual sector in general; 47. encourage platforms and media outlets to cooperate on the development of tools and processes that promote the visibility and findability of quality news sources, along with the visibility and findability of quality European audiovisual content." (Page 26)
more
"The EU Human Rights Guidelines on Freedom of Expression Online and Offline (the Guidelines) were approved by
...
the Council of the European Union (EU) in 2014. The Guidelines provide a policy and operational foundation for EU Delegations, EU institutions and Member States working to support freedom of expression and media pluralism. The Guidelines also present good practice approaches to responding in strategic and systematic ways to the challenges of promoting and protecting freedom of expression in diverse contexts [...] This Quick Guide provides a summary of the Guidelines alongside information designed to support EU Delegation staff working in third countries, focusing first on: What EU Delegations Need to Know; then on: What EU Delegations Can Do." (Introduction, page 5)
more
"In 2019, the European Union adopted the “Directive (EU) 2019/1937
...
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law” (Whistleblower Protection Directive). EU Member States are required to transpose the provisions of the Directive into national law by 17 December 2021. This is an opportunity for all EU countries to bring their national legal framework on whistleblower protection in line with international standards and best practice. The Directive contains many advanced provisions, such as the obligations for a wide range of entities to establish internal whistleblowing mechanisms, to follow up on reports and to keep the whistleblower informed. However, it also has some significant gaps [...] It is important therefore that EU Member States adopt national legislation on whistleblower protection that not only meets the minimum standards of the Directive but that also goes beyond the Directive, to meet international standards and best practice. As such, this methodology is designed to enable assessment of national legislation on whistleblower protection against both the minimum standards set by the EU Directive and best practice." (Introduction, page 3)
more
"This report, which follows the Council of Europe’s list of “Indicators for Media in a D
...
emocracy”, intends to provide an analysis of the current media situation based on the standards upheld by this list. The aim of this report is to raise awareness on the status of affairs in the media scene for an array of actors, such as policymakers, government representatives, media professionals, professional associations, media experts, and civil society. The report is based on methodology that uses varied instruments and feedback from different relevant actors that affect legal, political, economic, and professional environment for media operation. Apart from collecting and classifying statistical data from publicly available sources, existing research, and surveys, the primary research consisted also in legal analysis conducted for the purpose of comparing Council of Europe standards to domestic legislation, carrying out of surveys with stakeholders, and in-depth interviews with key players in the media fi eld, judges, government representatives, parliament, and public institutions. Using a specially designed questionnaire, a survey was conducted on a sample of 110 editors-in-chief, media owners, and journalists of different media outlets across the country, including representatives from minorities. In-depth interviews were conducted with media owners, media managers, and editors of mainstream media outlets, as well as with other actors with direct input and knowledge on media scene, such as the Audiovisual Media Authority, public broadcaster RTSH, journalist trade union, professional associations, the Media Council, journalists from various media, etc." (Introduction, page 7-8)
more
"Four cooperation projects with external funding (voluntary contribution or jointly funded by the European Union) are currently underway amounti
...
ng to 4 845 000 Euros in all. Some activities are also financed by the ordinary budget of the Council of Europe. More than 40 activities were organised since June. The work in the field of freedom of expression and media freedom encompassed a very broad range of activities such as legal expertise, training programs, seminars, conferences and other events with the participation mainly of public officials, media professionals and civil society. The constant strive to look for links and synergy between the various projects is an added value of cooperation activities. Best practices and results achieved are constantly shared with others through bilateral and regional networking." (
more
"This books draws a comparative balance of twenty years' international media assistance in the five countries of
...
the Western Balkans. The central question was what happens to imported models when they are transposed onto the newly evolving media systems of transitional societies. Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia undertook a range of media reforms to conform with accession requirements of the European Union and the standards of the Council of Europe, among others. The essays explore the nexus between the democratic transformation of the media and international media assistance. The cross-national analysis concludes that the effects of international assistance are highly constrained by the local context. From today's vantage point it becomes obvious, that scaling media assistance does not necessarily improve outcomes. The experiences in the region suggest that imported solutions have not been very cognitive in all aspects of local conditions but international strategies tend to be rather schematic and lacked strategic approaches to promote media policy stability, credible media reform and implementation. The book offers valuable insights into the nature and effects of media assistance and the strategies deployed by international aid agencies, local political forces, media professionals, civil society organizations and other actors." (Publisher description)
more
"Twelve cooperation projects with external funding (voluntary contribution or jointly funded by the European Union) are currently underway amoun
...
ting to 7 429 398 Euros in all. Some activities are also financed by the ordinary budget of the Council of Europe. Approximately 153 activities were organised since May 2017. The work in the field of freedom of expression and media freedom encompassed a very broad range of activities such as legal expertise, training programs, seminars, conferences and other events with the participation mainly of public officials, media professionals and civil society. The constant strive to look for links and synergy between the various projects is an added value of cooperation activities. Best practices and results achieved are constantly shared with others through bilateral and regional networking." (Summary)
more
"This book is the first to incorporate current academic literature on European, transnational, and international media law into a comprehensive overview intended primarily for students. It introdu
...
ces the legal framework for globalised communication via mass media, and considers the transformative effect globalisation has had on domestic media law. Engaging case examples at the beginning of each chapter and questions at the end give students a clearer idea of legal problems and encourage them to think critically. A wide variety of topics - including media economics, media technology, and social norms concerning media publications - are discussed in relation to media law, and numerous references to case law and suggestions for further reading allow students to conduct independent research easily." (Back cover)
more
"The Guidelines explain the international human rights standards on freedom of opinion and expression and provide political and operational guid
...
ance to officials and staff of the EU Institutions and EU Member States for their work in third countries and in multilateral fora as well as in contacts with international organisations, civil society and other stakeholders. The Guidelines also provide officials and staff with practical guidance on how to contribute to preventing potential violations of freedom of opinion and expression, how to analyse concrete cases and to react effectively when violations occur in order to protect and promote freedom of opinion and expression in the EU’s external action. They also outline how and in what strictly prescribed circumstances the freedom of opinion and expression can be limited." (Page 2)
more
"Almost 300 news channels are currently available in Europe, of which more than 170 are established in the European
...
Union. Private channels dominate the national TV news landscape with more than 80% owned by private companies. The pan-European channels with the widest distribution in Europe are CNN International, BBC World News, Al Jazeera (English), Euronews (English) and RT (Russia Today). The number of news channels available over free DTT channels has increased to 43, compared to 16 four years ago." (Website European Audiovisual Observatory)
more
"This collective report examines the principal dimensions of media policy in 14 European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia
...
, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and the UK), probing into the historical forces, national traditions and distinct political and socio-economic contexts in which media policies have emerged and developed. The analysis explores the main instruments for media regulation in the countries under study, and assesses the implications of the established media policy strategies for democratic politics. The country chapters follow a similar structure. Following a brief introduction, the analysis focuses on the media landscape of the countries under review, offering an overview of the national media market (the press, broadcast media, online media and news agencies), as well as a discussion of the status of the journalistic profession and media literacy. The third section presents the major actors involved in media policymaking and proceeds with a succinct presentation and explanation of the national regulatory framework for the media, focusing mainly on structural and content regulation. The final section provides a critical assessment of the principal issues and trends that characterise the media policies of the countries under study, together with an assessment of the degree to which they enable the media to feed the democratic process. The report also contains a chapter discussing the media-related initiatives of the European Union and the Council of Europe, focusing on the interventions that are of relevance and importance to the protection and promotion of media freedom and independence." (Introductory note, page 10)
more