2020 was the first year of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), which monitors, tracks and responds to media freedom violations across EU Member States and Candidate Countries (including the UK). Throughout the year, the consortium led by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), including ARTICLE 19, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the Institute for Applied Informatics at the University of Leipzig (InfAI), International Press Institute (IPI) and CCI/Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) monitored 378 violations of media freedom in 29 countries and delivered advocacy, practical and legal support to journalists, media workers and outlets across the continent.
This session brings together the consortium partners to dissect the MFRR’s inaugural year to share challenges, findings and learnings to ensure we can contribute to and support the work protecting and advocating for journalists and media workers across Europe. Sofia Verza from OBCT will also present a number of findings from the MFRR Needs and Gaps Analysis that surveys the European landscape to see what is available and what is lacking in terms of support for journalists and media workers.
The panel will also be joined by Audrius Perkauskas, the deputy Head of Unit for
DG CONNECT at the European Commission to outline their work defending media freedom including the upcoming European News Media Forum.
