The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the European Parliament’s adoption of the new Creative Europe cultural programme on 19 May. This programme will support European cultural exchange with a budget of around 2.5 billion euros for the period 2021-27, a sum which is the EU’s biggest ever financial commitment to the culture and media sector. For the first time, news media and journalism will be supported as well. The Creative Europe programme will benefit from a financial envelope set at € 1 842 000 000 in current prices and an additional allocation of € 600 000 000 in 2018…

The German Journalist Association (DJV) in Thuringia has been subjected to an alarming wave of hate speech and threats since 1 May, peaking with a death threat addressed to its managing director Sebastian Scholz. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) stands in solidarity with DJV and urges the police to investigate the case. The DJV in Thuringia have received numerous hate emails and threatening phone calls since an incident on 1 May. During a demonstration, its managing director Sebastian Scholz – who no longer works as a journalist – tripped up a demonstrator from the “Querdenker” movement, in reaction to…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls on public authorities not to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in newsrooms, but to promote its ethical use. The use of algorithms should preserve media pluralism and freedom of expression, especially for minority groups. The introduction of artificial intelligence in the media also requires investment in training for journalists. On 11 and 12 May, the Online Conference “Artificial intelligence and the future of journalism: will artificial intelligence take hold of the fourth estate?” took place, joined by more than 300 people around the world. Among the speakers was the president of the…

Dictator Lukashenko‘s regime is intensifying its crackdown on Belarusian journalists and citizens. In the last few days, the police have made several administrative arrests, bringing the number of journalists deprived of their freedom to 16. TUT.BY journalist Lyubov Kasperovich was detained today near the Minsk House of Justice while covering a trial against students. On Thursday, freelance photographer Tatsyana Kapitonava was detained without charges by police as she covered a conference in Startup Family coworking center, in Minsk. Judge Alena Zhukovich sentenced her to 10 days of administrative detention for “participating in an unauthorised demonstration”. On Wednesday, police in Mohilev…

On 23 and 24 June, the EFJ is holding another series of webinars as part of the “Trust and Quality in Journalism” Project. For the agenda and more information, click here. You can register for Day 1 here and for Day 2 here. Below, the pictures and short bios of our experts: Day 1 Jan Siebert holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on Human Resource Management and Consulting. He joined Deutsche Welle (DW) in 2016 and is responsible for designing, producing and implementing training programs and e-learning courses and supporting the programming department in strategic personnel…

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) will hold an online mission to Slovenia at the end of May and beginning of June 2021 to assess growing concerns about the deteriorating climate for press and media freedom over the past year. The virtual fact-finding mission will be led jointly by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI), in partnership with the Slovenian Journalists’ Association (DNS). MFRR partner organisations ARTICLE 19, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and the Osservatorio Balcani  Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) will join along with representatives from other…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today joined ARTICLE 19 and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in launching a report detailing the findings of a recent online fact-finding mission to Serbia. The report followed an international advocacy mission to Serbia, led by ARTICLE 19, that took place virtually from 29 January to 2 February 2021 in partnership with MFRR members and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS). The mission was joined by EFJ, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), International Press Institute (IPI), Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT). The Center for Human Rights –…

On 7 May, the second session of the EFJ series of webinars on improving media reporting on Muslims and Islam took place online. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Directorate-General of the European Commission for Justice (DG JUST) welcomed Pedro Rojo, president of Al Fanar, and Diane Kemp, professor of Broadcast Journalism at Birmingham City University and former BBC journalist, to discuss good and bad reporting practices with the participants. The exchange revolved around the questions of how to avoid stereotypes and sensationalism and how to create compelling and relevant stories without resorting to them. To watch the recording…

On 6 May 2021, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic insulted journalists working for the Croatian public broadcaster HRT, accusing them of being “tricksters”, “mercenaries” and “an embarrassment to the country”. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined their affiliates in Croatia, the Union of Croatian Journalists (SNH) and the Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND), in condemning the verbal attacks. Milanovic was on an official trip to participate in the session of the City Council of Split when he gave a statement to the media, which soon escalated into an argument with HRT journalists over the choice of guests in another HRT show…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in welcoming the idea of a European Media Freedom Act, advanced by European Commissioners Thierry Breton and Věra Jourová.  In recent years, we have witnessed the staggering politicisation of the media in a small but growing number of member states where governments have abused regulatory, economic and legislative powers to punish critical media, increase control over public service media and promote government cheerleaders controlled directly or indirectly through party loyalists.  Besides more assertive use of the means already at the disposal of the EU institutions, we…

To mark World Press Freedom Day 2021, the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) launched a new campaign that attracted a lot of attention and published the TGS Press Freedom report on the precarious situation of Turkish journalists. The TGS mass campaign, entitled #BasınBelada, could be translated to #PressinTrouble and is a play on the lyrics of a popular song by artist Ahmet Kaya, named “Başım Belada” (“I am in trouble”). Next to the #BasınBelada campaign running on social media and newspaper ads, dozens of Turkish journalists shared the visuals and over 200 billboards can be spotted in Istanbul, Izmir, Diyarbakir,…

To mark World Press Freedom Day, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its partners have just published two calls for Expression of Interest as part of the Media Councils in the Digital Age project, whose objective is to support media self-regulation bodies in addressing the new challenges of the digital age. These calls for Expression of Interest are the first step leading to the award of two grants of 15,000€ which will be provided to newly established press councils and also journalists’ associations, media organisations and/or a consortium of both based in the European Union. The financial support aims to strengthen…

To mark World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is supporting its affiliates in Slovenia, the Slovenian Association of Journalists (DNS) and the Union of Slovene Journalists (SNS) in a crowdfunding campaign to support the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), which has had its financing suspended by the government for more than four months now. The campaign comes after the Slovenian government’s communication office, UKOM, suspended payment for services provided by STA and refused to pay monthly instalments for STA services for October and November 2020. This refusal jeopardises the professional and editorial independence of the national press agency, which has so…

On World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) on Monday 3 May, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has stressed the need for concrete actions from European governments to defend and protect media freedom. 69 journalists are currently in prison in Europe, just for doing their job. The EFJ calls on states to fulfil their commitments and obligations to protect journalists and media independence and pluralism. The recent report by the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism shows a worrying deterioration in the working conditions of journalists across Europe: more than 200 serious press freedom violations were recorded in…

After a year in lockdown, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its members have observed a clear deterioration of press freedom in Europe. The facts are indisputable: according to the annual report of the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Safety of Journalists published on Wednesday 28 April 2021, 201 alerts were recorded, an increase of 40% compared to 2019. In particular, the number of physical attacks on journalists and media workers, as well as the cases of harassment and intimidation reached a record level. Nevertheless, journalists’ trade unions and professional associations have stepped up their work throughout 2020 to…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) contributed on Wednesday to the launch of the annual report of the Council of Europe Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists. The report shows a very serious deterioration of media freedom in 2020 across Europe. The Council of Europe Platform today published its annual report, “Wanted! Real Action for Media Freedom in Europe.” The report calls on the Council of Europe and its 47 member states to show political will to address deteriorating press freedom in the region, based on an overview of media freedom violations reported to…