Propaganda and Fake News: The EU Commission wants to protect the media from being influenced
The EU Commission wants to introduce a media freedom law to protect people from attempts to influence them. Fake news should have fewer chances.
According to the will of the EU Commission, media in the European Union should be better protected against attempts to exert influence. Vice-President Vera Jourova said on Tuesday evening in Brussels at the start of the European Newsroom (enr) – a cooperation project between European news agencies – that the commission will present the draft for a media freedom law next week.
“When we see such a negative trend – political pressure, economic pressure, increasing threats and violence against journalists – we have to act,” Jourova said. According to them, the aim is, among other things, to make the allocation of state advertising funds more transparent. Journalistic sources should also be better protected.
Jourova did not name any examples of government interference. Most recently, however, the EU Commission had filed a lawsuit before the European Court of Justice against Hungary, for example, because the authorities in the country had forced the independent radio station Klubradio to give up its FM broadcasting operations.
Jourova made it clear that she expects strong opposition from some EU states to the planned proposal for the legal act. “It’s going to be a big fight,” she said.
European Newsroom
The cooperation project between the news agencies, which was officially launched on Tuesday evening, is intended to enable more intensive cooperation between international correspondents and strengthen reporting from the European capital, Brussels. For this purpose, 45 workstations are available in the new European Newsroom (enr) at two locations in the city. There will also be training opportunities, among other things.
A total of 18 European news agencies are currently involved. In addition to the German Press Agency, the core group and steering committee of the project are the agencies AFP (France), ANSA (Italy), AGERPRES (Romania) and HINA (Croatia). The Ukrainian agency Ukrinform can use the possibilities of the European Newsroom free of charge as part of a solidarity partnership.
“Regulations are being introduced in Brussels that directly affect many millions of people,” said the managing director of the German Press Agency, Peter Kropsch, on Tuesday in Brussels. This applies not only to the EU states, but also to the candidate countries. “It is therefore essential to secure and expand independent and reliable reporting from Brussels and to provide information that works against disinformation among EU citizens.” The European Newsroom is campaigning for this.
(olb)
