Women journalists Antonina Favorskaya, known for her independent reporting, and Olga Komleva, a dedicated correspondent for RusNews, were arrested in March on charges of “extremism” linked to the coverage of the trials of the Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. If convicted, they will face up to six years in prison. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ), together with their affiliate the Journalists’ and Media Workers’ Union (JMWU), express deep concern over the unjust detention of Favorskaya and Komleva, in the context of a wider crackdown in Russia on press freedom. SOTAVision journalist Antonina Favorskaya, who recorded the last video of…

Amidst Romania’s Super Election Year, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners unveil their latest mission report, delving into the pressing issues surrounding media freedom in the country. To engage on this crucial topic, join our webinar today, 4 April, at 2 PM CET. Romania faces a year of intense political campaigning as the country organises European and local elections in June, presidential elections in September, and parliamentary elections in December.  Against this backdrop, the MFRR partners conducted an online fact-finding mission in Romania to assess the state of media freedom in the country. Meetings with Romania-based journalists, regulators, civil…

Changes in the consumption and distribution of news content has affected the news media industry, specifically local media. A latest report by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) indicates that local media outlets are diversifying their revenue streams to replace the traditional advertising-based model of funding. A subscriptions-based model is one of the more popular and reliable sources of long-term income. Podcasts are a format of subscriptions-based media that is a powerful tool for connecting with audiences, particularly younger listeners. Memberships are also used by local media to attract revenue. Different from the subscriptions-based model, it is…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) released its new report “Sustainable journalism, from local to global: Good practices in Europe”, authored by media expert Marc Gruber. The study analyses the local media landscape in Europe and highlights good practices of local and cross-border investigative journalism considered as sustainable business models.  The report shows that local journalism is an essential part of our well-informed society, in particular when it has a cross-border dimension and is carried out in partnership with similar or larger media in other countries. Local news can resonate more widely, either nationally or internationally, on matters of public…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined 38 other media freedom and civil society organisations on Wednesday in calling on the European Commission to strengthen its fifth annual rule of law report, which assesses media freedom in European Union member states. With Europe due to vote from June 6 to 9, the 39 groups also called on the new European Commission to prioritize implementation of their recommendations. “The multiple attacks on press freedom in the European Union highlighted in the latest MFRR report and in the annual report of the Council of Europe Platform must encourage European political decision-makers to…

As the final text of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) was formally adopted today by the European Union, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls once again on the Member States to be efficient and ambitious in implementing this crucial legislation. The final green light given to the EMFA by European governments – except Hungary – could not be more timely as the situation is worsening in several EU countries, where public service media are being used politically and weakened financially, instead of guaranteeing citizens independent, plural and quality information as their mission requires.  First tests in Slovakia and…