The interview between Tania Napravnik (COMMIT) and Ernest Taqi (Austrian Academy of Sciences) provides information on current changes in the media landscape und public discourse in the European Union and stresses the importance of independent media for democracy. TN: The research project MeDeMap – Mapping Media for Future Democracy (2023–2026)…

Journalists across all platforms agree: source verification is the cornerstone oftrustworthy reporting. The rise of fake news, particularly on social media, has intensifiedefforts to cross-check information. Public service broadcasters prioritize objectivity,especially in politically sensitive topics like international conflicts, while digital-nativeoutlets focus on synthesizing different perspectives swiftly. Speed vs. accuracy remains…

Many journalists and media managers report that French media remains too Franco-centric and continues to struggle with gender representation. In France, the press sector has historically functioned as an opinion-driven press. In contrast, the audiovisual sector is subject to internal pluralism requirements and overseen by the national regulatory authority, ARCOM….

The Portuguese case illustrates the shortcomings of national legislation in addressing the challenge posed by the EU-designated gatekeepers and the need for harmonization at the EU level. The sector expects the enforcement of existing EU regulations and the adoption of a new EU-wide framework that protects and sustains media plurality…

The Czech political landscape is susceptible to several potential crises. Additionally, the economic challenges of rising inflation and energy prices could strain the ruling coalition, potentially leading to fractures within the government. The Czech Republic’s media landscape is a blend of traditional and digital platforms, with public broadcasters maintaining a…

Challenges, Changes, and Future Directions The media market’s viability is at risk. While legacy media in Austria is (still) highly valued in an international comparison, the change in media usage habits brought about by the Internet and its permanent availability, mainly via smartphones, has had just as drastic an impact as the entry…

by Helmut Peissl & Andrea Sedlaczek (English abstract) Throughout Europe, over 2,200 community radios and over 520 community TVs can be identified, which set themselves apart from both public service broadcasters as well as private commercial media. Community media are characterised by their non-commercial and participatory nature, being created by…

by Kirill Filimonov (Charles University) Discussions about the deficit – or, often portrayed more dramatically, crisis – of European democracy persist from various angles, from critique of populism to EU bureaucracy. These claims often rely on reductive definitions and assumptions that remain largely unexplored. Indeed, our understanding of democracy and media…

By Nuno Cintra Torres and Tatiana Chervyakova (Lusófona University) The recent and ongoing saga of the Global Media Group (GMG) is a strong indicator of the need to continue improving regulation of media ownership transparency. GMG has exposed loopholes in the legal framework regulating media ownership. An ambitious investment idea…

By Karolína Šimková (Charles University) Community media play a pivotal role in the democratic media landscape, serving as platforms that not only deliver content tailored for community members but also promote their engagement and participation (Carpentier, Doudaki, 2014). This key function underlines the importance of these media in promoting a…