More than 60 participants from 23 European countries attended the final conference on ‘how to manage change in the media’ from the unions’ and newsrooms’ perspectives. It took place in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 10-11 October 2019. Co-organised by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its affiliate in Thessaloniki, the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH), the conference concluded a two-year project (2017-2019) whose objective was to help journalists’ organisations in adapting practices to the news industry and in strengthening their union capacity, through a series of five workshops (see below). The exchange of best practices and…

Around 60 journalists and journalists’ representatives from 20 European countries attended the final conference of the project ‘Managing change in media’ on 10 and 11 October in Thessaloniki, Greece. Programme Business models & trends in journalism training and skills Alexandra Borchardt, ​former Reuters Institute – Are Journalists Today‘s Coal Miners? Andreas Heindl, ​ORF – Mitigating the stress induced by the digital transformation Dr. Dimitris Xenakis​, Inside Story – Inside Story The legal protection and litigation for freelances Renske Heddema​, NVJ – NVJ’s support of Legal Protection for Freelance (Photo) Journalists How can European Commission support media policy? Suzanne ​Vanderzande, ​Policy…

Around 30 journalists and journalists’ representatives from 20 European countries attended the workshop on “Increasing gender equality and diversity in the workplace” on 28 and 29 May in Istanbul, Turkey. Co-organised by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS), the workshop aimed to provide best practices and concrete tools to improve equality between male and female journalists, improve diversity in the newsroom and counter growing online harrassment. Journalists’ unions and professional associations are best placed to initiate the change when it comes to closing the gender pay gap, improving work-life balance, fighting stereotypes in…

Around 30 journalists and journalists’ representatives from 20 European countries attended the workshop on “Increasing gender equality and diversity in the workplace” on 28 and 29 May in Istanbul, Turkey. Co-organised by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS), the workshop aimed to provide best practices and concrete tools to improve equality between male and female journalists and to counter growing online harrassment. Programme Panel 1 – Gender equality and diversity in the workplace: what works in Europe? Presentation by Gülfem Karatas (TGS) Panel 2 – Fighting stereotypes in the news: towards better representation…

Around 40 journalists and journalists’ representatives from 24 European countries attended the workshop on “Modernising public service media (PSM) through innovation and dialogue” on 4 and 5 March in Bucharest. Co-organised by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Romanian trade union FAIR – Media Sind, and with support of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) the workshop addressed the challenge for public service media to adapt to the changing way of consuming and creating news and media. Workshop on 'Modernising public service media through innovation and dialogue' just started! Thank you Fair @MediaSind and @ro2019eu for the opening remarks…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) report “Digital Journalism & New Business Models” underpins the trends in new business models for the digital newsroom: from the British Guardian to the pioneering French Mediapart, from Sweden to Spain, we witness the increase in new funding models, in so-called entrepreneurial journalists who take care of both fundraising and the newsroom and still achieve trusted journalism with the highest editorial standards, values that ground the fourth estate in a democratic society in order to hold the powerful to account. The EFJ Digital Expert Group presents its report on “Digital Journalism & New Business…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is organising a workshop on “Modernising public service media through innovation and dialogue”. It will take place on the 4 and 5 March in Bucharest, Romania. The workshop will bring together journalists, trade unions and social partners (public broadcasters) to address recent challenges and develop strategies to ensure quality and independence in public service media in a period of digital changes, to improve working conditions of media workers in public service media and to regain trust in the media. The workshop will discuss the key themes: Public Service Media in Europe: The challenge for Innovation,…

On  28th November, the Dutch Association of Journalists (NVJ) agreed on a “working conditions policy plan” aiming to adapt the rates of freelance journalists in line with the employed journalists. NVJ is negotiating with the publishers to guarantee  4 to 4,5 % salary increase to the publishers association. The NVJ has chosen a comprehensive approach in the negotiations with the publishers to guarantee better rights for both employees and freelancers. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes this decision in times when more and more freelance journalists suffer precarious working conditions throughout Europe. The plan is part of a broader…

In a workshop gathering around 50 journalists and journalists’ representatives from all over Europe has called on national government and European institutions to ensure legal protection for freelance journalists so that they can enjoy equal rights and treatment. The workshop organised by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Swedish Journalists Union (SJF) on 10 & 11 October in Stockholm has highlighted that while freelance journalists are growing across Europe, their working conditions and labour rights are lagging behind. “Freelance journalists are often being exploited with meagre payment and little rights”, this was the sentiment expressed by the participants…

How to renew and modernise journalists’ unions in order to face tomorrow and manage change in the media? More than 40 leaders of journalists’ organisations across Europe gathered in Lisbon, Portugal, on 4-5 June 2018, to discuss the above-mentioned issues in a workshop organised by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), together with its affiliate in Portugal, Sindicatos dos jornalistas (SJ). Reach out to the young and freelance journalists The participants strongly agreed on the importance to address the needs of the new generation of journalists, particularly affected by job insecurity. Studies shows that their salaries are lower and their labour rights…

36 journalists, union leaders and media experts from 20 European countries discussed issues around new business models and trends in (digital) journalism from 15-16 March 2018 in Nuremberg, Germany. With great enthusiasm participants explored recent trends in journalism,  successful new models in financing journalism and the role of unions and associations to best serve their members in this process of change. The first panel “What is trending in journalism” included academics, publishers and an editor in chief from a local newspaper, all giving interesting insights in changes in the media eco-system,  its impact on the work of journalists, use of…