Conclusions on the EBU/EESC conference "Independence of public service media in enlargement countries"

Met dank overgenomen van Europees Economisch en Sociaal Comité (EESC) i, gepubliceerd op woensdag 1 april 2015.

On 1 April 2015, the EESC members Ionut Sibian, President of the Western Balkans Follow-up Committee and Cveto Stantič, member of the Communication Group took part in the event on the independence of public service media in enlargement countries, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

Find below the recommendations of the conference. They will be presented by EBU at the 5th Western Balkan Forum organised by the REX section on 2-3 June 2015 in Belgrade.

  • 1) 
    International level

The international community has to join forces to further support Public Service Media in Enlargement countries

  • 2) 
    EU level
  • • 
    There is a need for adequate media policy
  • • 
    Continue to use the EU Progress reports as leverage for changes
  • 3) 
    National Level
  • • 
    EBU should continue to spread its best practices - on funding principles, editorial principles, soon on governance principles, and others
  • • 
    Public Service Media should be further supported to work closer with Civil Society and its audience
  • • 
    Public Service Media should be encouraged to be proactive
  • • 
    PSM should be supported to increase their accountability and transparency
  • • 
    PSM should be supported to build on a good potential and achievements

More Info on the conference:

"The existence of a strong and independent public service broadcasting has been flagged up as a key factor for media freedom and democracy in recent EU Enlargement progress Reports. Via the ‘Partnership Programme’, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) runs several activities in this region, aiming to support Public Service Media in their transformation processes into a genuine service to the citizens. This conference will offer the opportunity to learn from EBU and local experts’ hands-on experience, and discuss the specific challenges faced by the media in EU Enlargement countries" (from the EBU event page)

Topics discussed:

  • • 
    Importance of the media legal framework and importance of its implementation
  • • 
    Need for political will
  • • 
    Role of civil society organisations
  • • 
    Political and economic pressure and how to deal with this pressure
  • • 
    Importance and challenges of sustainable funding
  • • 
    Importance of EC involvement - need for media guidelines and best practices
  • • 
    Need for urgent changes and reforms of PSM
  • • 
    Transparency and accountability/defamation
  • • 
    Censorship and self-censorship
  • • 
    Definition and challenges of investigative journalism