European Federation of Journalists

European Federation of Journalists

Past project

openMedia, investigating press freedom

Title of the project : openMedia, investigating press freedom
Lead Applicant : openDemocracy
Partner organisations : EFJ, Index on censorship, King’s College London

The recently launched openMedia project aims to investigate and expose commercial interference in editorial decisions. The project is run by openDemocracy with the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) as a partner alongside the Index on Censorship and King’s College London.

The project believes that there has not been enough of a concerted, ongoing spotlight on the extent and effects of commercial influence over the media, despite the dangerous consequences it poses for press freedom. For now, the project focuses on 47 countries across Europe but also has ambitions to expand.

Despite the recent launch, the project is adamant that it is not a response to the “fake news” hype of the past year or so. Rather, the project responds to scandals of commercial sponsors influencing media content; for example the Daily Telegraph’s suppression of investigations into its advertiser HSBC; and allegations that Buzzfeed deleted articles which advertisers found unfavourable.

According to the project, this power dynamic can suppress investigations of banks, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, fossil fuel giants, energy companies and other big businesses.

In addition, the project recognizes how for many readers, “sponsored content” is difficult to distinguish from genuine news content. The project therefore aims to clarify the commercial interests apparent in media to readers, and as part of the project, King’s College London will develop digital tools to help readers be better informed about news sources.

The findings of the project will be used to campaign for greater transparency and press freedom in news organisations and to empower journalists to advocate for transparency.

In order to do this, openMedia is currently conducting a confidential and anonymous survey of journalists across Europe, asking about their own working practices and experiences of commercial pressure inside newsrooms. The survey is available in English here and in many other languages here.

Actions

Solidarity with Russian Journalists to Remember Fallen Colleagues

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have sent a message of solidarity and support to their affiliate, the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), as it prepares for its annual solidarity event to remember fallen colleagues. Tomorrow, Sunday, 8 September, RUJ leaders and members, as well as many journalists and writers, will unite for the International Journalists’ Solidarity Day in Moscow, a powerful day of demonstrations and events to commemorate colleagues who have been killed, stand up for freedom of expression and strengthen solidarity in their struggle to combat impunity against journalists in Russia.…

EFJ Webinar: Entrepreneurial Journalism

If you missed the Webinar on Entrepreneurial Journalism, you can catch up the key points and tips provided by our guest speakers, Heike Rost, freelance photojournalists and Tim Dawson, entrepreneurial journalist. German freelance photojournalist, Heike Rost, spoke about her experience in “selling” her journalistic work and share some useful tips on how to build an audience. How to build an audience? 10 Tips from Heike Rost, a photojournalist in Germany. Before building an audience, you need to build yourself an image that is attractive for the audience. It is not just a professional image but also a personal one (‘integer’…

Attackers of BBC News Team in Russia Must Answer for Crimes

  •    News
  •   23-09-2014

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have joined calls for a thorough and immediate investigation to be carried out into an attack on a BBC news team in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan. According to the BBC, the team was in the city to investigate reports of Russian servicemen being killed near the border with Ukraine. They were in their car when they were approached by a number of aggressive individuals who confronted them, violently grabbed the team’s camera and smashed it on the road, and then escaped with it in a…

EFJ Focus, 28 July 2014

  table.mcnFollowContent {width:100% !important;} table.mcnShareContent {width:100% !important;}     Having trouble viewing this email? View this email in your browser Share Tweet Forward to Friend 28 July 2014 EDITORIAL Juncker’s Policies – What’s Missing?  The Luxembourger, Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, has finally taken the job as the European Commission chief. Mr Juncker’s appointment as the social conservative candidate marks a turning point since the last Commission led by the centre-right party leader Mr. José Manuel Barroso. The European Union seems to have rekindled its social model. Allied with the Socialists and Liberals, Mr. Junker has made many promises. He has declared his intention to…

EFJ slams UK for pushing through data retention law

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today has criticised the UK government’s hasty move to rush through a controversial data retention law that will allow the government to have greater control of personal data of citizens and journalists. “It is shocking that the UK government is pushing through a law that has just been invalidated by the European Court of Justice (ECJ),” said Ricardo Gutierrez, EFJ General Secretary. “We are extremely concerned that such an intrusive law will violate the privacy of citizens as well as those of journalists whose duty to protect confidential sources could be compromised.” The EFJ…

EFJ FOCUS 16 June 2014

  table.mcnFollowContent {width:100% !important;} table.mcnShareContent {width:100% !important;}     Having trouble viewing this email? View this email in your browser Share Tweet Forward to Friend 16 June 2014 EDITORIAL Putting Media Pluralism on EU agenda Over 200 candidates for the European Elections have endorsed our Manifesto calling for media freedom and pluralism in Europe.  Now some of them have been elected to serve the citizens for the next five years, they shall keep their promises by putting media pluralism at the heart of the EU agenda because Europe’s democracy relies on independent and pluralistic journalism. The new European Parliament and…

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