MEDIADEM

European Media Policies Revisited: Valuing and Reclaiming Free and Independent Media in Contemporary Democratic Systems

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Free and independent media are vital for the workings of democratic systems. Media structures which are free of interference from government, business or other social groups, and in which access of diverse views and opinions is effectively guaranteed, support democratic debate and sustain citizens’ active involvement in political and civic life.

Given the strong interconnection between politics, business and the media, the creation and safeguarding of an environment supportive of media freedom and independence remain everywhere in Europe a continuous and open-ended process. In view of the important role the media play in providing information about the economy and political affairs, political and economic actors, but also socio-cultural elites regularly seek to exert an influence on domestic media policy-making.

MEDIADEM seeks to understand and explain the factors that promote (or conversely hinder) the development of policies for free and independent media. The project will combine a country-based study in Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and the UK with a comparative analysis across media sectors and types of media services, and will investigate the complex array of policy approaches and regulatory and self-regulatory practices established to safeguard media freedom and independence. In order to verify whether regulatory measures actually advance a more democratic political order through the diversification of media outlets, sources and content, the project will place them in their proper socio-political, economic and cultural context, and will examine how state and non-state perceptions about the role the media should play in contemporary society influence the implementation of the norms enacted. External pressures stemming from the action of regional organisations, such as the Council of Europe and the EU, will also be investigated in detail. The central assumption of MEDIADEM is that economic, socio-political and cultural domestic peculiarities greatly affect how legal norms are interpreted and implemented, how they are perceived and received, and whether they are truly respected. Simultaneously, given the substantial changes brought by new technologies regarding the way citizens obtain information, the project will examine the opportunities and challenges posed by new media services for media freedom and independence.

The project will make a significant contribution to media policy development by advancing knowledge on how media freedom and independence can be safeguarded in Europe. It will thus be of particular interest to state and European policy makers, civil society and the public at large.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Citizens rely on freedom of speech in the media to form opinions from a variety of sources. EU-funded scientists have provided recommendations to policymakers at all levels to ensure that freedom is fostered and protected.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Maintaining the freedom and independence of the media is an important goal of democratic societies. EU-funded scientists initiated the http://www.mediadem.eliamep.gr/ (MEDIADEM) project to evaluate the factors that affect development of policies with regard to media. Their objective has been to ensure media independence through recommendations to policy stakeholders at national and European levels.

Scientists studied media policies and regulation in 12 EU Member States and two EU Candidate Countries. Country case findings were then used in a cross-country and cross-theme comparison. Results were the basis of policy guidelines to promote media freedom and independence targeted at state and other policy stakeholders, the EU and the Council of Europe.

Outcomes highlighted the numerous pressures on contemporary media in Europe despite the importance of freedom of speech in democratic societies and existing safeguards. These forces include politics, market pressures, technological factors, and failures in regulation or in enforcement and compliance. The balance varies from country to country, as do the effects of these pressures. However, MEDIADEM analyses demonstrate important factors that undermine the freedom and independence of the media in Europe.

Detailed and country-specific recommendations regarding media policy and regulation schemes have been provided to each of the 14 countries studied. In addition to specific guidelines, all countries have been advised to conduct evidence-based and transparent media policies to ensure compliance with international guarantees of free speech. Policymakers must also address undue political influence on both public and private media, engaging, among other issues, in strengthened monitoring of media ownership. Similar recommendations have been presented to the Council of Europe, the EU and other stakeholders at the European level to complement and reinforce national policies. Among these features improving the enforcement of judgments passed by the European Court of Human Rights.

MEDIADEM has provided concrete media policy recommendations to foster media freedom based on evidence and scientific analyses. It has also engaged a large population of stakeholders from the media policy community, the media, academics and the public in an informed debate. By raising awareness of the fragility of media freedom in Europe, MEDIADEM has paved the way for widespread support of recommended policy reform.