“In Macedonia, only 1 % of journalists consider their jobs to be absolutely secure while 77 % believe that they are under constant risk of being fired. Raising the issue and the consequences of the insecure or precarious work in the media industry is more than necessary”, shows a new survey published today (24/11/2014) in Skopje by the SSNM (Independent Union of Journalists and Media Workers, an EFJ affiliate). The study based on 104 in-depth interviews with local journalists has been presented by SSNM President Tamara Chausidis during a conference on “Precarious Work in the Media Industry” attended by SSNM…

(20.11.2014) The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has carried out a mission to Ukraine on 6 – 8 November to investigate the situation facing journalists reporting in conflict areas. Yannis Kotsifos, a member of the EFJ Steering Committee has visited the EFJ affiliates (NUJU and IMTUU) in Kiev to understand the challenges they face in protecting their journalists. ” Since the political crisis in Ukraine broken out in November 2013, journalists have been at the heart of these events covering violent demonstrations, clashes and armed conflict. They have been shot at, assaulted, kidnapped, arrested, abused and killed. They have been…

The EFJ Annual Meeting in Moscow on 20 – 21 November 2014 has adopted 18 resolutions  on Economic Crisis, Labour Rights, Gender Ethics, Press Freedom and Safety EU Lobbying You can download the resolutions in English or French. The Annual Meeting has also made statements to express solidarity with journalists and their unions in Greece, France, Palestine and the Philippines. (read the statements in English / French).

Some 53 delegates from 26 countries representing trade union organsations and professional associations of journalists at the Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) in Moscow on 21 November expressed their solidarity and full support for ethical journalism and the struggle of Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) to defend independent journalism and the safety of journalism. The Annual Meeting commenced with a minute of silence to remember the 56 journalists who were killed for doing their jobs since 1993 in Russia. ‘‘Journalists in Russia are facing a great challenge today. We need more than ever solidarity, unity and…

Our job is neither to please nor to harm anyone; our job is to portray the truth with our pen … What Albert Londres, a French journalist and one of the founding father of investigative journalism, said has captured the spirit of the Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Journalist which will be held  at the House of Journalist in Moscow this Friday 21 and Saturday 22 of November. While the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) held its last World Congress in Istanbul, the EFJ will hold its Annual Meeting in the capital of Russia. The goal is to…

On 18/11/2014, a conference entitled “Media Integrity Matters – Reclaiming public service values in the Western Balkans media: How should the European Union Respond ?” has been organized in Brussels by MEP Tanja Fajon. The event was a follow-up to the publication of the book “Media integrity matters” in June 2014, comprising the research conducted in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia. The study aims at addressing the obstacles to a democratic development of media systems in the countries of South East Europe/Western Balkans by pointing out corrupt relations and practices in media policy, media ownership and financing,…

On 12 – 14 November, the Council of Europe (CoE) has launched a new toolbox for media professionals at the final encounter of a EU and CoE funded project on Media in Europe for Diversity Inclusiveness (MEDIANE) with partnering organistions* including the European Federation of Journalists. The toolbox called “MEDIANE Box” was developed based on the hundreds of media professionals who have participated throughout the two-year project led by the CoE. The MEDIANE Box aims at supporting media professionals to include diversity in their daily work and production. It is considered as a self-monitoring tool to monitor the capacities of the media and…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) together with the AJP, the Belgian Association of Professional Journalists, strongly condemn the recent police violence used against press photographers, who clearly declined their identity as journalists while on duty. During the national demonstration held on 6 November in Brussels, a press photographer working for Sudpresse newspapers group was struck by a punch by police officer while he was taking a picture of another wounded policeman. Only the intervention of two journalists has been able calm the police, reports the AJP. “Moreover, a press photographer working for Photo News press agency was attacked twice.…

EFJ – the European Federation of Journalists, ENPA – the European Newspaper Publishers’ Association, EMMA – the European Magazine Media Association, and EPC – the European Publishers’ Council sent a joint letter to DAPIX, the European Council Working Group on Data protection, to ask them not to lower the level of protection of Press Freedom. The joint letter call on DAPIX to ensure that Article 80 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides a clear, directly applicable and legally binding exemption for journalistic data processing. Or, at the minimum, preserves the actual acquis on the draft Regulation on data…

The Finnish public broadcasting company Yle has announced on Monday 3 November about the imminent plan to reduce at least 185 permanent jobs as part of its cost-cutting measures. Following the announcement, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) Initiates has sent a letter to CEO, Mr Lauri Kivinen, and the management team of Yle, calling on them to engage in dialogue with the journalists’ union, Suomen Journalistiliitto. According to Yle, the cost-cutting measures were introduced as a result of a funding shortfall. Earlier this year, the Finnish Parliament has decided to freeze an inflation-related increase on the so-called Yle tax…

The 3rd High Criminal Court in Istanbul has today (05/11/2014) proceed to the hearing of the KCK Press trial where 46 journalists and media workers are being prosecuted for being a member or doing propaganda work on behalf of an illegal terrorist organisation. The European Federation of Journalists’ (EFJ) Project Officer Mehmet Koksal, the International Publishers Association (IPA)’s Director José Borghino and the head of Istanbul Branch of the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) Gökhan Durmus have attended the hearing in solidarity with the accused journalists. During the court hearing, the defendants lawyers argued about the unconstitutionalilty of the current…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has called on Prime Minister Viktor Orban to abandon his “anti-democratic plan” to tax internet use and to start listening to his people and understand the reality of the developments in the media. “It is very unwise and unrealistic of Orban’s government to think that the internet tax is of any relevance in today’s digital age,” said Mogens Blicher Bjerrregård, EFJ President. “This is evident from the tens of thousands protesters who showed up on Tuesday night’s protest.” According to the organiser of the protest, following the first rally on Sunday 26 October, the…

It is essential that international organizations not only have press freedom as key issues, but also pursues effectively the abuses that are taking place and put pressure on the authorities to correct those attacks on press freedom, writes Mogens Blicher Bjerregaard, President of the Danish Union of Journalists and EFJ President. By Mogens Blicher Bjerrregård I’m just back from Macedonia where I had the opportunity to visit a journalist whose life is in ruins because he does not want to disclose his sources. The European Federation of Journalists sent a letter to the Macedonian Ambassador to the European Union. Similar…

The EFJ has been invited to contribute to the last South-east Europe Media Forum (SEEMF) 2014 held on 16-18 October 2014 in Skopje. The event was organized by the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), the Media Program South East Europe of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and the Central European Initiative (CEI) in partnership with UNESCO, the European Commission, International Academy – International Media Center (IA-IMC) and South East and Central Europe PR Organisation (SECEPRO) and in cooperation with the South East European Network for the Professionalization of Media (SEENPM), Macedonian Institute for Media, Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM/ZNM), the…

For the 7th time, the EFJ will be marking 5 November as a day to “Stand Up For Journalism”, and we are asking our affiliates across Europe to join in the campaign. On the day or during the week of the 5 November, journalists across Europe and around the world come together in solidarity to spotlight some of the major challenges they face.  Find out more about this campaign HERE.