Defending the right to freedom of information and promoting the transnational public debate on violations registered in the European Union as well as in the enlargement and Eastern Partnership countries are the objectives of the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom - ECPMF , of which OBC Transeuropa is one of the founding members.

The services OBCT provides to ECPMF include the development and curation of the Resource Centre on Media Freedom in Europe and an ongoing work of information and in-depth analysis on key issues for European democracy, in network with numerous media partners in Italy and South-Eastern Europe.

OBCT news on media and journalism

Cyprus: Call for thorough investigations into surveillance of Makarios Drousiotis

Dimitri Bettoni | 19/9/2023

OBC Transeuropa and other media advocacy organisations sent a letter to the Cypriot authorities, amid the lack of adequate investigations into the alleged surveillance of journalist Makarios Drousiotis.

MEDIA Greece: refugee reporting in times of surveillance

Thessaloniki | Mary Drosopoulos | 19/9/2023

It could be the plot of a psychological thriller movie. It's the true story of a young investigative journalist, Stavros Malichudis, who unintentionally became one of the protagonists of the Greek Watergate. His reports, awarded with many international prizes, told the stories of refugees in Greece

The International Press Institute (IPI) battling targeted cyberattacks

Dimitri Bettoni | 18/9/2023

According to the Institute, the attacks appears to be in retaliation for the work in favour of independent media outlets in Hungary, which were also targeted

INTERVIEW Surveillance: after Pegasus and Predator, the EU is (slowly) taking action

Paola Rosà | 18/9/2023

While the European Parliament's Commission enquires on the various states where surveillance technologies have been commercialised despite the bans, the emphasis remains on civil society and digital security. Interview with Lorenzo Bagnoli of IrpiMedia

Journalists and spyware surveillance: an open letter to the European Parliament

Dimitri Bettoni | 15/9/2023

The world of journalism is mobilizing and launching yet another heartfelt appeal to the European Parliament to introduce, in the proposed European Media Freedom Law (EMFA) under discussion, a total ban on the use of spying software against journalists

MEDIA Trudeau against Facebook: social media, copyright, and information

Paola Rosà | 15/9/2023

In protest against the new Canadian law that requires social media to pay news organisations every time a user shares a link, Facebook has blocked access to news portals, earning the condemnation of Prime Minister Trudeau. In Europe, meanwhile, new regulations are on their way on the removal of content, advertising, and disinformation

24 International Organizations Call for an End to Russian War Crimes Against Journalists in Ukraine

7/9/2023

OBCT joins 23 other civil society organizations to call for an end to Russian war crimes against journalists in Ukraine

MEDIA Wiretapping and trojans: the Nordio bill alarms journalists

Paola Rosà | 8/9/2023

For the Italian Press National Federation and trade associations, the crackdown on the dissemination of transcripts is a new attack on freedom of the press and citizens' right to be informed. Even MPs are in turmoil, worried that the "cyber interceptor" – aka trojan - will get out of the hands of its users

Greece: Swift investigations required after two attacks against journalists

5/9/2023

OBCT joins journalists’ and media freedom organisations in condemning recent attacks to Greek journalists Giorgos Papachristos and Kostas Vaxevanis

MEDIA European Media Freedom Act: the end of source confidentiality?

Dimitri Bettoni | 30/8/2023

The new European regulation aims to protect the secrecy of journalistic sources, the key concept at the heart of journalism, but actually risks legitimising its systematic violation

REPORT Serbia, little security for online journalists

Ettore Morello | 23/8/2023

A recent report by the Association of Independent Journalists of Serbia together with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network analyses the problems concerning the safety of journalists on the web, looking at the specific case of Serbia, and suggests how to make the editorial environment less dangerous

Kosovo: Media freedom groups welcome Klan Kosova court injunction decision

| 4/8/2023

OBCT joins international media freedom organisations in welcoming the decision of the Kosovar Commercial Court blocking the suspension of Klan Kosova business licence

INTERVIEW Croatia, the new media bill is dangerous

Zagreb | Giovanni Vale | 27/7/2023

“I don't know who wrote this bill, but I suspect that the main intention was to divide the Croatian media, creating havoc in the sector”, said Hrvoje Zovko, the president of the Association of Croatian Journalists (HND). We met him in Zagreb

MEDIA BiH: Republika Srpska reintroduces the crime of defamation

Sarajevo | Arman Fazlić | 24/7/2023

On Thursday 20 July, the People's Assembly of the Republika Srpska adopted the Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code envisaging criminalization of defamation. Calls from international and local actors to protect freedom of speech and withdraw the controversial provision that qualifies defamation as a criminal offence have gone unheeded

Albania: urgent measures needed to safeguard journalists

| 20/7/2023

OBCT condemns recent attacks against journalists in Albania and calls on authorities to ensure press freedom in the country

CASE Day of Action - an initiative against SLAPPs

12/7/2023

On July 10 the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), of which OBCT is a member, promoted a Day of Action dedicated to the campaign against SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) targeting activists, human rights defenders, and journalists.

The Media Freedom Resource Centre   is an open online platform that facilitates quick and systematic access to an ever-growing collection of resources on media freedom and pluralism, such as region-wide and country-specific publication and practical tools for journalists, practitioners, policy makers. Whether you are journalist, a media expert or an organisation, use this crowd-sourcing platform to share and disseminate your materials!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building on a previous Wiki GLAM initiative, Wiki4MediaFreedom  aims at boosting the availability of accurate knowledge on media freedom and pluralism in Europe on Wikipedia. People who are willing to contribute, learn and help disseminate in languages other than English relevant information on these topics are very welcome to join!

Through a partnership between Index on Censorship, European Federation of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders Mapping Media Freedom  monitors and visualises the state of media freedom in Europe by crowdsourcing reports of violations and limitations from journalists and press freedom watchdogs. Get involved!

24 Vesti  Macedonia- The first Macedonian all news TV channel and on-line news provider
All the news      
Beta  Serbia- One of the main Serbian press agencies 
All the news
Bianet  Turkey- Independent press agency, with a special focus on civil society
All the news
Courrier des Balkans  France- The main French on-line news provider on South East Europe
All the news
Dilema Veche  Romania- Romania's main weekly, focusing on culture and social issues. It has both a paper and on-line version
All the news
H-Alter  Croatia- Independent on-line news provider, with a special focus on civil society
All the news
MediaCentar  Bosnia Herzegovina- Supporting the development of independent and professional journalism in Bosnia and Herzegovina
All the news
Mediapool  Bulgaria- Created in 2001, it is the oldest Bulgarian on-line news provider
All the news
Kosovo 2.0  Kosovo- is an online magazine which, since 2010, involves talented young media professionals in Kosovo. All content is published in Albanian, English and Serbian. It has 14.200 fans in Facebook and 4.900 Twitter followers
All the news
Radio Popolare  Italy- Broadcasting from Milan, Popolare is both a radio and a network of 17 of the Italian main radio stations covering among other Rome, Florence, Turin, Venice
All the news
Radio Študent  Slovenia - One of Europe's oldest and strongest independent and non-commercial urban radio stations
All the news
Shqiptarja  Albania- Independent media-group based in Tirana
All the news
Athens Live  Greece- Independent media, on-the-ground source for stories, news, and images from Athens and throughout Greece.
All the news
Vijesti  Montenegro- The main daily newspaper in Montenegro. It has both a paper and an on-line version. It started its publications in 1997 
All the news

 

Former partner of the network (2015-2016): The Press Project  Greece- Daily on-line news provider on Greece. Specialized in features and analyses
All the news

The project European Centre for Press and Media Freedom is co-funded by the European Commission