In 2016, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) enters its second year of activity thanks to the renewed support of the European Commission. Through the cooperation among its 6 consortium partners - the Media Foundation of the Sparkasse Leipzig , initiator of the ECPMF based in Leipzig; OBC Transeuropa (Trentino); Oxygen for Information (Rome); South East Europe Media Organisation (Vienna); Journalismfund.eu (Brussels); and the Institute of European Media Law (Saarbrücken) - the ECPMF project aims to protect and promote press freedom and promote transnational public debate on violations registered in Europe .
Liaising with several other European entities active in defending media freedom across the continent, OBC Transeuropa will raise awareness of the situation of freedom of information in six member states of the European Union, in the Enlargement and Eastern Partnership countries through:
1) a transnational journalistic campaign along with 14 media partners by publishing and disseminating news and analyses aimed at increasing information and debate on relevant topics;
2) the further development of the Resource Centre on Media Freedom in Europe ;
3) the initiative #Wiki4MediaFreedom which builds on the work initiated by the Wikipedian in Residence hosted at OBC in 2015.
During the inauguration ceremony of the new Serbian president, some journalists were attacked and prevented from doing their job. An analysis
Last Tuesday, Greece lost a brave journalist and citizen. The Greek journalist Costas Efimeros died, following a heart attack, at the age of 42
An interview with Rodoljub Šabić, Commissioner for information of public interest and the protection of personal data – together with the Ombudsman, among the most mistreated institutions in Serbia
At the Festival Mediterraneo Downtown 2017 at Prato we met the Turkish journalist Can Dündar. Fears and hopes for Turkey after Erdoğan's victory in the constitutional referendum
Increasing tensions between the interest of media and politics pose a serious threat for European democracy. An editorial by Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, President of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Although, officially, Montenegro doesn't have any problem with media concentration, two or three owners control most of the media. For some, this is not a major commitment, as they are primarily engaged in other businesses
Blowing up journalism in Macedonia
The culmination of the political crisis in Macedonia resulted in an increased number of attacks on journalists. The narrative spread by political elites for years could not result in anything other than violence and division.
Satirical web sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Using mockery to cause a reaction
Satirical web sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina use creative ways to point out anomalies and absurdities in the society. Una Čilić talks to editors of Šatro.info and Karakter.ba.
The Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Stingy with information
The Prosecutor's Office's longheld practice of communicating with the press through video statements filmed and produced within the institution, deprives the journalists of one of their fundamental rights and obligations – that of asking questions.
Albanian journalist under the Police protection
Elvi Fundo, a well-known investigation journalist, was brutally beaten by two unknown men in the capital’s centre. He says his articles hit mafia’s interests.
Editors’ salaries in public broadcasters are not confidential personal data
According to the Law on Free Access to Information in Bosnia and Herzegovina, salaries of employees in the public services must be transparent. After almost a year of demanding information, public pressure in the last few months made so that Radio Television of Republic of Srpska published the information about salaries of Miroslav Lazanski and Mate Đaković.
The massacred journalist shows the photos of violence on him
Well-known investigative journalist Elvi Fundo in hospital whith serious wounds on face and head urges Police to find agressors and thanks collegues for supporting him
Montenegro, the silence of the public administration
Montenegro adopted a law on free access to public information 7 years ago, but in many cases the information required is withheld, and no one is sanctioned.
Serbia: Blocking the access to information
Serbia has one of the best laws in the world to guarantee public access to information. The problem is, the state does not respect its own laws. And the situation may get worse in the future
Bulgaria: Free information access
One of three institution in Bulgaria is not transperant
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!
The project European Centre for Press and Media Freedom is co-funded by the European Commission
