2015 has been a year for the EFJ to focus on core union work. We have achieved positive steps in promoting professional rights of journalists and jobs in journalism, developing union recruitment strategies and enforcing the safety of journalists. READ MORE   Having trouble viewing this email? View this email in your browser   18 December 2015       EDITORIAL    2015 has been a year for the EFJ to focus on core union work. We have achieved positive steps in promoting professional rights of journalists and jobs in journalism, developing union recruitment strategies and enforcing the safety of journalists. On…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Danish Journalists’ Union (DJ) have strongly condemned Turkish border police for the assault of Danish journalist Nagieb Khaja on 2 December while crossing the border into Syria to cover the refugee crisis. The EFJ member in Denmark, DJ, has immediately written to the Ambassador of Turkey in Denmark protesting the attack on Khaja.  Following the demand of the organisations to investigate the assault, the Turkish authority has responded today that they have started an investigation into Khaja’s case. Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, the EFJ President said, “We have witnessed Turkey’s disregard for the…

Update : Please sign the petition to free journalists in jail At a press conference held today (01/12/2015) in Istanbul, Reporters without Borders (RSF) together with the International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ), the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS), Journalists Association of Turkey (TGC), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Press Institute (IPI), World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN­IFRA), World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC) and the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN) launched the following international appeal for the release of Cumhuriyet journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül :  International appeal – First as prime minister and now as president,…

The EFJ has created a short survey aiming to collect latest information among EFJ affiliates to provide an overview of the current recruitment strategy, development of services and youth in journalists’ unions. This will help the EFJ map out the situation in our membership better its services for members in this area in the future. 19 members have already responded. Some of them have also shared their best practices in a workshop on recruitment in Copenhagen in May. You can find out the top 10 tips on recruitment and organising in the EFJ membership.  If you have not responded yet,…

EDITORIAL BY MOGENS BLICHER BJERREGARD, EFJ PRESIDENT The EFJ newsletter, EFJ Focus, is available in English, French and German. Labour rights in South Eastern Europe All evidence shows that strong unions and labour rights are prerequisites for journalists to guarantee quality journalism. This is the message I delivered in a high-level European conference (see below) on  media freedom in Western Balkans and Turkey on 4 November in Brussels. I stressed the importance of journalists’ labour rights, capacity building of journalists’ organisations and a long-term action plan to improve the working conditions of journalists and achieve media freedom in the region. The European Commissioner…

A new survey launched by the European Federation of Journalists reveals the diversity of the freelancers’ professional situations and disparities of their labour rights’ protection in Europe. On 19th November, the EFJ had its biannual meeting with the Freelance Experts’ Group (FREG). Together, they discussed the results of the survey “Mapping Freelance Journalists” conducted since May by the EFJ to collect updated database regarding the social status of the freelance journalists and their representation in professional associations and unions in Europe. Thirty-three organisations from 28 countries have responded to the online questionnaire. The results reveal disturbing disparities between levels of freelancers…

EFJ Director Renate Schroeder was invited by the European Free Alliance/The Greens to a panel discussion about “Press Freedom-keeping Journalists safe” yesterday in the European Parliament. She informed the meeting about the different activities the EFJ is involved when it comes to mapping media freedom, the Council of Europe Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and pledged the EP to stand up for journalist’ rights, media freedom and democracy, which at the moment is too often compromised by geopolitical interest. Sasa Lekovic, President of EFJ affiliate, the Croatian Journalists’ Association, and co-author presented the SEEMO…

What kind of conditions, such as contracts or salaries are online journalists working under? Are they satisfied with their jobs? What needs to be improved and what role can the union play to enhance the working conditions of journalists in digital media? The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has launched a survey aiming to get a better overview of their working conditions and ways to protect their interests through unions/associations.The survey reveals a dangerous trend where many online journalists face precarious working conditions. Among the 231 respondents, 62% said they worked overtime and over 50% of them do not have a full-time employment…

The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) today joined their affiliate, the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS, in Turkish), in condemning the police raid of Kanaltürk and Bugün TV, part of pro-opposition media holding Koza-Ipek, on Wednesday in Istanbul. Police moved in after a court in Ankara on Monday ordered the seizure of Koza-Ipek, accusing the company of “terror propaganda.” The conglomerate is linked to the US-exiled cleric Ferthullah Gullen, a one-time ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has turned the government’s prominent critic, reports said. According to media reports, the riot police forced their way into…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) organised today (20/10/2015) a Media Lunchtime Talk on Reporting the refugee crisis. During the past months, the media all over Europe have been extensively reporting on the refugee and migrant crisis. Despite most of them reporting responsibly, a number of questions arose about the limit of publishing sensitive images. Nicola Frank, EBU Head of European Affairs and Ricardo Gutiérrez, EFJ General Secretary, started the discussion by addressing their common concerns on the importance of ethical reporting and the role of media and journalists in combatting hate speech and stereotypes. “The EU media…

Journalists from across the Balkans and Eastern Europe met in Belgrade (Serbia) on 10-11 October 2015 to discuss the status of journalism in the region and the campaign for freedom of association to enable journalists to freely organise in unions. They discussed the struggles facing journalists, the precariousness of their employment, the low salaries and poor contracts the hostility of employers to journalists unions and the pervading climate of insecurity and fear. This is a struggle not just for improved conditions for journalists, but for a healthy and vibrant journalists sector that can play its democratic role in serving the…

Journalists and media workers in Turkey, Hungary and the Balkans are facing increased hostility as they do their jobs, according to a survey of the verified incidents reported to Index on Censorship-EFJ-RSF’s Mapping Media Freedom project. Since May 2014, Mapping Media Freedom project has been documenting media violations throughout the European Union, including candidate and neighbouring countries. The project is an interactive platform that allows the reporting, mapping and monitoring of threats to media freedom. Mapping Media Freedom is run in partnership with the European Federation of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, and is partially funded by the European Commission. The…

The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was greeted with honour at the Brussels Royal Palace this Monday morning. After the warm welcome of the Belgian King and Queen and the Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, Mr Erdoğan was pleased to receive accolades from the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, and the European Council President, Donald Tusk. All of those who welcomed him to Brussels should know that they gratify one of the worst censor of press freedom in Europe. In only two days, the International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) submitted five serious violations of press freedom…

The European Trade Union Congress (ETUC) in its 13th Congress in Paris on 29 September – 2 October, with the presence of over 700 trade union delegates, have unaminously voted a motion tabled by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) on Solidarity with Turkish and Kurdish journalists suffering repression. The EFJ welcomes the adoption of the motion and thanks for the support and solidarity expressed by the trade union delegates at the ETUC Congress. The motion reads: For freedom of speech. In recent years journalists, trade unionists and press collaborators in Turkey – a European Union candidate country – have…

EDITORIAL BY MOGENS BLICHER BJERREGARD, EFJ PRESIDENT The EFJ newsletter, EFJ Focus, is available in English, French and German. Online harassment, abuse or threat targeting at female journalists was on top of the agenda at an expert meeting organised by Dunja Mijatović, Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) on 17 September in Vienna. Experts including media professionals, organisation leaders and government representatives spoke out against online harassment and violence faced by female journalists. The meeting was also a wake-up call that it is time for the journalist community to tackle the problem.…

Index on Censorship, the European Federation of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders are delighted to announce the expansion and redesign of Mapping Media Freedom, which records threats to journalists across Europe, and which will now also cover Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. First launched in May 2014, the map documents media freedom violations throughout the European Union and neighbouring countries including the Balkans and Turkey. More than 700 reports were logged on the map in its first year, lifting the lid on the everyday threats to media freedom that have previously gone largely unreported or undocumented. “Mapping Media Freedom has highlighted…