The MFRR Summit is Media Freedom Rapid Response Consortium’s flagship annual high-level event. It brings together journalists, media experts, and policymakers to discuss – and look for solutions – to the key challenges facing press and media freedom in Europe today.
This year, the discussions will focus on the financial sustainability of journalism, growing threats in the digital space, legal harassment, foreign interference, public service media, information integrity, and gendered dimensions of attacks against journalists. We will explore how independent media can be better protected and strengthened as a cornerstone of democratic resilience and security across Europe.
Welcome speech
Nathanael Liminski, Head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia, Minister for Federal, European and International Affairs and the Media
Elena Rodina, MFRR Coordinator at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Opening keynote
Marton Gergely, HVG editor-in-chief, Chair of the IPI Executive Board
Monetisation of journalism: viability and financial future of media in the digital age
Renate Schroeder, Director of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Bojana Kostić, Senior Digital Policy Advisor, GFMD
Laura Moore, Head of Research and Evaluation, Deutsche Welle
Public media: Challenges and flashpoints across Europe in a post-EMFA Europe
Jamie Wiseman, Senior Europe advocacy officer, International Press Institute (IPI)
Karolína Kašparová, Strategic Development Manager, Czech Radio
Eva Simon, Senior Advocacy Officer, Head of Tech & Rights at the Civil Liberties Union for Europe
Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė, Director General LRT, Member of EBU Executive-Board
Audrius Perkauskas, Deputy Head of Unit at EU Commission, DG for Communication Networks, Content and Technology
Threats from the Net: journalists’ minefields in the digital space
Dimitri Bettoni, Researcher and journalist, Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Svea Windwehr, Policy Manager, Mozilla Foundation
Giacomo Zandonini, Investigative journalist, Fada Collective, Statewatch
Iris DeLeede, Senior policy and advocacy adviser, Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
Ľuboš Kukliš, Expert on media regulation and internet governance, Member of the Digital Services Act Enforcement Team at the European Commission (DG Connect)
SLAPPs in Europe: Legal Intimidation and Democratic Resilience
Sielke Kelner, Researcher and advocacy officer, Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Stefano Vergine, Investigative journalist
Felicia Crețu, Editorial fact-checker, CU SENS Media Project
The authoritarian playbook in action: foreign agent laws and shrinking space for independent media
Teona Sekhniashvili, Europe Advocacy Officer, International Press Institute (IPI)
Maksym Popovych, Senior Legal Officer for Europe and Central Asia, Article 19
Şebnem Arsu, Turkey Correspondent, Der Spiegel
Kety Abashidze, Senior Human Rights Officer, Human Rights House Foundation
Special intervention: Gender and media
Emilia Șercan, Investigative journalist, Senior lecturer, University of Bucharest
Oleksandra Horchynska, Women in media, Project coordinator
Information integrity and Democratic Resilience: Confronting FIMI and transnational repression
Roberta Taveri, Senior Media Freedom Programme Officer for Europe, Article 19 Europe
Vesna Radojević, Investigative journalist, editor of KRIK’s fact-checking portal “Raskrinkavanje”
Hanna Liubakova, Journalist, political analyst, non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council
Helmut Brandstätter, Member of the European Parliament
Please note that capacity for this event is limited. Public registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and will close once the maximum number of participants has been reached.
For more information and to register, please visit the MFRR website.
