Update (27/10/2016): On 26 October 2016, the Council of State ruled the TV licence law unconstitutional. ———————- The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) backs its Greek affiliate, the Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN), to denounce the closure of four out of the eight private TV channels, leading to thousands of job losses, after the decision of the Greek government to launch a multi-million euro auction for four private TV licences despite protests by broadcasters and journalists. The EFJ strongly supports the mobilisation of media workers in the protest to safeguard media pluralism and independent journalism in Greece. Early this year, the Greek government has passed…

The European Commission today published a proposal for a directive on authors’ rights that would help give more power to journalists. The proposal provides mechanisms to address authors’ and performers’ weaker contractual position when negotiating terms for use of their work. The federation welcomed the proposal as a “great step forward” in protecting journalists’ authors rights and called on EU institutions to do their utmost to improve authors’ remuneration in the upcoming legislative process. While acknowledging the “weaker contractual position” of authors and performers, the draft directive on copyright in the digital single market would establish three mechanisms to help secure…

The European Commission presented on 14 September its proposal for a directive on copyright in the digital single market. The Authors’ Group* – representing more than 500 000 authors, including writers, literary translators, composers, songwriters, journalists, photographers, film/TV directors and screenwriters in Europe – welcomes the directive, in particular the proposal to address the key issue of creators’ weak bargaining position in their contractual relationships and fair remuneration in contracts. The Authors’ Group supports the European Commission’s commitment to address problems related to the forced transfer of rights of authors to publishers, producers and broadcasters. Achieving a well-functioning market-place for…

A group of Russian journalists and editors are meeting their European Union counterparts in Brussels on the 15th and 16th September for a seminar entitled “Journalistic standards in reporting the EU and the portrayal of Russia: against stereotypes in the media”. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), in association with its affiliate the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), will host this two-day event in the Residence Palace. The meeting is part of an initiative spearheaded and funded by the EU Delegation to the Russian Federation. The seminar will draw on the expertise available in Brussels in the area of professional reporting of the…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ) organised a press conference on 12 September on the theme: Turkey’s failed coup: implications for journalists, unionists and human rights activists at the Press Club in Brussels. Sanar Yurdatapan, a Turkish composer, human rights activist and initiator of Freedom of Expression Initiative-Turkey, was invited to speak about the prior and post-coup situation for freedom fighters. After showing a video footage showing the escalation of hate speech at the highest level in the country, he gave a brief picture of today’s Turkey where oppression, insults and threats towards media, activists and opposition parties have become a common place.…

The Media, Arts and Entertainment sector has seen significant changes in the structure of the labour market and in the organisation of work both within and outside the framework of the traditional employment relationships – with an established trend towards various forms of atypical working arrangements. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the International Federation of Actors (FIA), UNI MEI and the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) have today launched a handbook on ”The Future of Work in the Arts, Media & Entertainment Sector”, outlining conclusions and recommendations addressing atypical work in the Media, Arts and Entertainment sector. The launch…

The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) Emergency Fund is established since 2013 to provide women journalists with a lifeline of support in times of crisis. Now more than ever, journalists around the world face real dangers as a result of their reporting. The Emergency Fund is sustained with the support of individual donors to address the growing need to provide direct assistance to women journalists who are suffering. The IWMF Emergency Fund provides women journalists with: Small grants for psychological and medical care for incidents directly related to threats and crises caused by one’s work as a journalist; Three months of…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) invite you for a press briefing on “Turkey’s failed coup: implications for journalists, unionists and human rights activists”, with Sanar Yurdatapan, Initiative for Freedom of Expression-Turkey and moderated by Mehmet Koksal (EFJ-IFJ). It will take place on Monday 12 September from 10:00 to 12:00 at the Press Club Brussels, 95 rue Froissard, in Brussels. Şanar Yurdatapan is a composer and human rights activist. Born in Susurluk (Turkey) in 1941, he became well-known as a composer and song-writer during the 1970s.  In 1979, he established DEMAR (Democratic Artists Community).  Following the military coup of 1980, he left…

The Croatian technical Government decided to extend the term to Siniša Kovačić as acting HRT general manager from 6 months to 1 year besides internal and external opposition. With early elections scheduled for September 11, the technical government in July opened a ten-day-consulting process on a decree to amend the law on the Croatian Radio-Television, HRT in order to allow the acting head of HRT to stay on for a year, instead of six months, which is the timeframe stipulated under the existing law. While the regulation says that the present acting HRT general manager term shall be expanded until…

A delegation of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) met with Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations yesterday (05/09/2016) to discuss how to improve working and social conditions for journalists and how to foster high quality public service media (PSM) and media pluralism in the Western Balkans. “Unions are currently not playing the role they should play in Eastern Europe. The EU should support them and initiate social dialogue between stakeholders in the media industry”, said EFJ President Mogens Blicher Bjerregård emphasizing the need to empower journalists unions in this region. A concrete proposal mentioned was to organise “trilateral meetings” between social partners and…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) joined on 5 September their Ukrainian affiliates in condemning an arson attack that set ablaze the headquarters of private broadcaster Inter TV private broadcaster headquarters in Kiev, Ukraine. Reports said that a group of around 20 activists staged a rally yesterday in front of Inter TV’s building, set tyres on fire and threw a smoke bomb into the premises, causing a fire which damaged the first and second floor. The Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU), an EFJ/IFJ affiliate, reported that one of its members, Inter TV journalist Olena Zorina, seriously injured…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ), together with the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (SMCG), have today sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, to share their deep concerns over the court proceedings of freelance journalist Montenegrin journalist Jovo Martinović. With this letter, EFJ president Mogens Blicher Bjerregård and IFJ president Philippe Leruth are urging the Montenegrin authorities to consider his journalistic work as a possible explanation for his alleged contacts with drug traffickers.  Jovo Martinović had been detained on suspicion of participating in a drug trafficking ring since 22 October 2015. He has always defended that…

On 28 August, the police raided the main office of the Kurdish-language daily newspaper Azadiya Welat based in Diyarbakır. According to media reports, at least 23 staff members of the newspaper are currently detained at Diyarbakır Police headquarters following the raid, the names are : Yasemin Sayın, Hayat Yılmaz, Ahmet Kızılay, Arap Turan, Berxwedan Tulpar, Sürreya Dal, Zeynep İzgi, İbrahim Bayram, Engin Özelçi, Ahmet Boltan, Ceylan İpek, Mehmet Emin Kaya, Ziyan Karahan, Veysi Altın, Ercan Yeltaş, Azime Tarhan, Serdal Polat, Cengiz Aslan, Ferit Toprak, Mehmet Hüseyin Şahin, Mehmet Aydın, Pusat Bulut and Mehmet Emin Akgün. Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reported that the police justified the raid by the notice they received that “there are [illegal] organizational meetings held”. Phones and IDs of the employees have been…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ), joined their affiliate, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK), in condemning an explosive attack at the home of the head of Kosovo’s public broadcaster RTK on 28 August, the second such attack in a week. Reports said that an unknown attacker threw an explosive device at the house of Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK)’s General Director, Mentor Shala, late Sunday in the capital, Pristina. Police told media that the device, which caused no casualties, was likely a hand grenade that was thrown in to the backyard while the entire family was…

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called for the “immediate and unconditional” release of detained Macedonian freelance journalist Zoran Bozinovski in a letter to the country’s President and public prosecutor. Zoran Bozinovski – a freelance journalist and founder of the online media Burevensik.org is detained in Macedonia since 21 April, after his extradition from Serbia, where he had spent another 18 months detained. The IFJ and the EFJ condemned the continued detention of the journalist who the Macedonian authorities accused of espionage, criminal association and blackmail. In the letter, the IFJ states: “The arrest of a journalist for criminal activities without…

The European and International Federation of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ) stand in solidarity with their affiliate the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) after the attack targeting at the public broadcaster Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) in Pristina. On Monday 22 August, a hand grenade was thrown into the yard of the main building, close to the transmission antennas. Some journalists were working inside the building at the time of the explosion but no injuries were reported. The attackers are currently unknown. “We ask the Kosovo Police and other competent authorities to urgently investigate the case in order to identify the perpetrators”, said Shkelqim Hysenaj, President…