Slovakia: RTVS and media freedom under scrutiny
A climate of insecurity is lingering, as budget cuts and plans to dissolve RTVS into two entities were announced by the government.
STA needs long-term, viable and sustainable funding
Slovenian authorities must now commit to providing STA with secure funding, with protection from state capture and political interference.
Independence of Czech Television under threat
Changes to the public broadcaster’s supervisory body sparks concern about the future of its independence.
Poland: Media independence and pluralism under threat from state-backed companies
Growth in ownership by state-backed companies reignites concerns that government is tightening its control over the country’s media.
The erosion of media freedom in Hungary continues
This time, the country’s last independent radio station faces possible disappearance due to the non-renewal of its licence by the Hungarian Media Council.
Independent media and press freedom take another hit in Hungary as Index editor is fired
The country, whose government is credited with inspiring media capture across Europe, has received yet another blow to its press freedom.
The decline of public media in Poland
From pro-government election and coronavirus coverage to hate speech, there are serious concerns that the government’s ongoing interference will extinguish hopes for independent public media in Poland.
Poland’s election without public media
Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party has been voted in for a second term this week. Yet despite Poland being a representative democracy, the party’s strategy to “repolonise” and control the media is deeply undemocratic.
Threats to media independence continue across Central Europe
“Backslide”. This seems to be the word most used to describe what’s happening to public broadcasting and independent media in parts of central Europe.