Antoinette Nikolova, founding father of the Balkan Free Media Initiative, offered the primary findings of a report entitled: “The Invisible Hand of Media Censorship within the Balkans”. The report is the primary report of the Balkan Free Media Initiative which was launched within the Brussels Press Membership (12 October). The report shines a light-weight on the state of affairs in Serbia, North Macedonia and Bulgaria, however there are wider classes to be learnt for the EU and wider Europe.
The report seems at how business practices employed by state actors can undermine goal journalism, management public discourse and assist governments consolidate political energy appearing as a menace to democracy.
The report examines three strategies used to regulate media markets: Management of public broadcasters and regulatory authorities; lack of transparency in possession, the enabling of management of media retailers by governments or their proxies; and, a tradition of clientelism by way of authorities promoting and/or grants.
One of many audio system on the occasion Peter Whitehead of Media Growth Funding Fund (MDIF) stated that state management of the media was notably pervasive in Balkan states. The report seems at state management of the media by way of totally different business practices. Whereas the report focuses on Balkan nations, it has actually been witnessed elsewhere in Europe.
Peter Horrocks OBE, previously of the BBC World Service and member of the UK’s media regulatory physique Ofcom referred to as on the European Union to do extra within the area of competitors coverage to handle the state of affairs.
EU Reporter spoke to Radan Kanev MEP (EPP, BG) in regards to the state of affairs in Bulgaria. Intimidation of journalists and bodily violence are well-documented, on the latest protests in Sofia in 2020, Dimitar Kenarov was detained and assaulted by police there was no passable redress. Lately, editor of Euractiv Bulgaria, Georgi Gotev, an outspoken defender of unbiased reporting on Bulgaria, who chaired Tuesday’s launch was attacked on a road in Brussels, the assailant was not recognized, however it seems to be one other act of intimidation.
Kanev described the report is a really sturdy doc, possibly probably the most severe items of analysis into the Balkan media market. Kanev says the EU must cease help for programmes for the media the place the cash is channelled by way of the manager, he thinks this ought to be administered instantly by the European Fee.
Bulgaria will maintain elections for the third time this 12 months on 14 November.