The Reuters Institute, in collaboration with Oxford University, published today 14 June its global Digital News Report 2023, which focuses on how younger audiences consume news, and the trends of online engagement. It provides insights into the increasing prevalence of vertical videos and news podcasts. The influence of inflation, combined with an increasing phenomenon of “news avoidance”, is explained in the last part exploring the emergence of new business models.  Consumption of news  Overall trust in the news continues to decline. Combined with the rising of printing costs, news outlets need to find new ways to keep up with the…

Switzerland will be on strike on Wednesday 14 June to demand better working conditions for women, including in the media sector. Four years after the first national feminist strike in 2019, women are still demanding better protection against harassment, more women in positions of responsibility and journalism free of sexism and racism. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) have given their full support to the Swiss unions syndicom and impressum and their members. “No women, no news – more women, more news’. This slogan with which the Swiss journalists’ unions are preparing to take to the streets to…

The latest draft compromise text of the EU Council on the European Media Freedom Act poses serious risks to the European Union’s core democratic principles and fundamental rights, notably freedom of expression and the protection of journalists. The European Federation of Journalists reiterates its call to EU Member States to strengthen Article 4 on the rights of media service providers. The text is due to be adopted on 21 June. In its latest appeal on 2 May the EFJ together with all European major broadcasting and publishers organisations had urged Member States to show more ambition on Article 4 (about…

On 7-8 June 2023, several European journalists’ trade unions met in Madrid with their counterparts representing actors, musicians, translators, media workers and other cultural figures to discuss collective bargaining for atypical workers. The conference was the final event of the Atypical Workers project, of which the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is a partner, together with the International Federation of Actors (FIA), the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) and UNI-MEI. The goal of this EU-funded project, which started in 2021, was to promote the rights of atypical workers in various sectors and improve the capacity of trade unions in servicing…

On June 13, the European Parliament will vote on the so-called “e-Evidence” package. There are serious concerns about how this proposal would undermine people’s fundamental rights and set an unwelcome precedent for cross-border access to people’s personal data in criminal investigations. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined civil society, doctors, lawyers and journalists’ associations, as well as internet service providers in calling on MEPs to reject the so-called “e-Evidence” package during the plenary vote on June 13. We consider that the proposed system of cross-border access to data in criminal matters would severely undermine fundamental rights. Initially proposed by…

The renewal of Polish radio station TOK FM’s broadcasting licence is still pending after a six-month delay, casting doubt on a possible non-renewal. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in supporting TOK FM, the largest independent news and talk radio station in Poland, in their plea for the licence renewal to be made by the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT), in a timely and independent manner and based on strict professional criteria.  TOK FM, which is the fourth-most popular radio in Poland, is nearing the end of its broadcasting licence…

The Council of the European Union adopted today a common position (general approach) on the so-called Anti-SLAPP directive. This legislation, proposed by the European Commission in 2022, is meant to tackle the growing problem of strategic lawsuits targeting journalists, activists, and other public watchdogs across Europe. However, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) considers that the text, which has been considerably watered down, falls far short of the legislation’s original objective: to protect journalists and the right to information in the European Union. Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are a form of legal harassment used to intimidate and silence…

In a judgement issued on 6 June, a High Court in the UK has rejected the latest appeal by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange against an extradition order issued by the United States. The International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) are appalled by the decision, which brings Assange closer to being extradited to the US where, if found guilty, he could spend the rest of his life in jail. The IFJ-EFJ renewed their call on the US government to close the case against Assange on the basis that it poses a grave threat to media freedom and the rights…

Twenty-seven journalists and students from 20 EU countries were trained on digital journalism practices as part of a Master Class taking place in Brussels from 31 May to 2 June. The training was organised by the Belgian press councils CDJ and Raad voor de Journalistiek, the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) in the framework of the EU-funded project Media Councils in the Digital Age (MCDA). Journalists and journalism students aged between 19 and 30 came together to share their professional experiences, practices, and ideas on digital journalism. The event fostered an environment where…

From 5-7 June 2023, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), International Press Institute (IPI) and the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) took part in a fact-finding mission to North Macedonia, organised by the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (ZNM). While we recognise progress for media freedom and journalists’ working conditions in recent years, this improvement is fragile and must be consolidated. We welcome the recent adoption of amendments to the Penal Code. Under the new provisions, developed in collaboration with local civil society, attacks on journalists will…

Following the decision of the Slovenian Constitutional Court to approve the passing of amendments to the law on Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTV SLO), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in giving our support to current efforts to depoliticise the public broadcaster. Our organisations believe this ruling offers the necessary conditions for RTV SLO to finally unwind the capture of the broadcaster under the previous government, rebuild its editorial independence and carry out its public service mission free from political interference and institutional destabilisation. On 29 May 2023, the Constitutional Court lifted a…

Around 30 people broke into the courtyard of Serbian television channel N1 to express their discontent with the media coverage of the channel, on 30 May 2023. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliate the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia (NUNS) in denouncing the failure of the authorities to promptly react and calling for the safety of N1 media workers to be guaranteed. The smear campaign against N1 television has been intensified by public officials in recent weeks and culminated with a protest of about 30 people for around three hours in the courtyard of the building where…

Iryna Levchenko, a former local journalist and member of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) has been illegally arrested in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia, southeast of the country. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) join their affiliate, the NUJU, in condemning the illegal arrest of Levchenko and urge the authorities of the occupied territories to immediately and unconditionally release her and all other journalists held behind bars. On 31 May, the NUJU reported the disappearance of former Ukrainian journalist and union member, Iryna Levchenko, and her husband, Oleksandr Levchenko, in the southeastern city of Melitopol, in the…

Thirteen journalists took part in a safety training organised by the Journalists Union of Macedonia and Thrace (ESIEMTH) between 28 and 29 April 2023 in the Conference Hall of the Union of Editors of Macedonia-Thrace, in Thessaloniki, Greece. The workshop is part of a series of training sessions organised by journalists’ trade unions with the support of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR). Organised by the International Training Center for the Safety of Journalists, the two-day workshop gathered Greek reporters, editors and correspondents. It was designed to help journalists, media workers and media organisations improve their skills in assessing risks…

A growing number of attacks on journalists and media workers have been documented in northern Kosovo since 26 May, which intensified on 29 May, following the protests that erupted in the region. The International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) join their affiliate, the Association of Journalists in Kosovo (AGK), in denouncing the violence targeted at media professionals and call on the competent authorities and media employers to ensure the safety of journalists reporting on the ground. Several journalists have been physically assaulted and their equipment vandalised, including the vehicles of media broadcasters, while covering the ongoing protests in…

The legal harassment against Serbian investigative media outlet KRIK continues as the portal was convicted for reporting on a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) case it was facing, at the same time as a new abusive lawsuit has been filed against it. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned organisations in standing in solidarity with KRIK’s newsroom, which is currently fighting 12 legal proceedings, and raising the alarm about the use of SLAPPs in Serbia, considered a growing threat to independent journalism. In recent months, KRIK has been facing multiple lawsuits as a result of public interest…