Media & Presss Freedom

An umbrella does not shield against flooding. For the European Democracy Shield to do what it says, it must encompass the full spectrum of hybrid threats, not only foreign disinformation. Like any shield, it is only as strong as its bearer. If it is to be more than a fig leaf, our work to defend democracy must start at home.

Over the past fifteen years, the French media landscape has been radically transformed. While demand for information has never been so high, thanks to the digital revolution, the overall supply of information has never been so low, giving rise to growing concern among media professionals represented by journalists' societies, unions, associations and collectives.

News outlets have a complex love-hate relationship with the far right, marked by antagonism and mutual benefit. Far-right specialist Cas Mudde shares a few simple tips on how to inform citizens without falling into the traps of laziness, manipulation and connivance.

On February 27 2024, the well-known Russian human rights activist Oleg Orlov, co-founder and long-time director of the Memorial human rights centre, was sentenced to two years and six months of prison Moscow and arrested in the courtroom - for "repeated discrediting of the Russian army."

With this fellowship, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union gives a select number of journalists the opportunity for on-the-ground reporting on climate disinformation case studies. The articles will be published as part of a web dossier on battling climate disinformation. Deadline for applications: Sunday, 10 March 2024, 23:59 CET. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis. Early applications preferred.

Under the umbrella of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), thirteen journalists, press freedom, and civil society organizations are calling the EU institutes and the governments of member states to impose greater transparency on the media and their relations with political decision-makers and economic players.

Giorgos Christides and Katy Fallon are our 2023 Climate Disinformation Media Fellows! They will pursue on-the-ground reporting on climate disinformation case studies. Their articles will be published as part of a web dossier on battling climate disinformation.

The once lively scene of local and national Ukrainian media is threatened by the brutal Russian invasion and occupation. War has changed the work of journalists and media business models are under threat.

A new law in Turkey that would jail people for spreading “fake news” online has widened the rift with European digital regulations and human rights standards to tighten the muzzle on the press and social media users ahead of elections next year.

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine represents a watershed moment of truly unfathomable magnitude in European post-war history. This war between democracy and authoritarianism is also waged on another battleground: the media. A free, independent press and a vital, diverse media landscape are the backbone of a liberal democracy. But especially in Europe and in the EU, these pillars of democratic order are coming under increasing pressure. The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's European Democracy Conference 2022 will therefore focus on the question of how we can specifically and decisively counteract the advancing deterioration of free reporting.