EU Media Advocacy

The EU Media Advocacy Working Group is an informal network for organisations within journalism support, media development, digital rights, media freedom, and wider democracy support communities conducting advocacy work within European Union (EU) institutions on media-related issues.

The EU Media Advocacy Working Group was established in 2020 by the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD).

SUBSCRIBE HERE 

Contact: advocacy@gfmd.info

Objectives of the the EU Media Advocacy Working Group:

In 2022 the working group had three key objectives:

1. organising and facilitating the working group meetings, collaboration, and participation of our members and partners in relevant policy and advocacy processes;
2. identifying shared policy priorities; and
3. working to ensure our the voices of the journalism support, media development, digital rights, media freedom, and wider democracy support communities are heard in major European policy development processes related to journalism, media, and digital ecosystems.

GFMD facilitation of the the EU Media Advocacy Working Group:

GFMD’s facilitation of the EU Media Advocacy Working Group work revolves around monitoring and evaluating newly released policy action plans and draft regulation, and following-up with EU decision-makers and policymakers on the group’s advocacy priorities.

GFMD actively facilitates monthly meetings, a mailing list, and joint actions.

Membership of the EU Media Advocacy Working Group:

More than 144 leading experts representing more than 50 organisations across Europe.

Examples of the the EU Media Advocacy Working Group’s activities: 

• October 2021 GFMD organised a discussion with different organisations from the EU Advocacy Group to debate about the Digital Services Act (DSA), in particular the issues concerning the appropriate balance to safeguard media freedom while effectively fighting disinformation.
• Co-authoring joint advocacy submissions for the European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP) and Digital Services Act (DSA) consultations.
• Drafting joint statements on topics such as: Advocating for greater protections for independent journalism and more consideration for media sustainability in the 2021-2027 EU Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF); open letters to the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in defence of independent journalism, media pluralism, and media freedom; joint statements on auditing and inspecting digital algorithms; responding to the inception of impact assessments on a new competition tool ex-ante regulatory instrument for large online platforms acting as gatekeepers; coordinating policy and advocacy on strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPPs);
• Supporting the mandate of the organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media.
• Joint statement calling for universal advertising transparency by default.