Press Freedom and Pluralism in Europe

Melanie Hellwig, Andrea Czepek

Description

We assume that freedom of the press is guaranteed in a democratic society. But, in Press Freedom and Pluralism in Europe, researchers from twelve countries reveal that it is all too frequently a freedom that is taken for granted. In turn, they examine media systems throughout Europe and report on their conditions for independence and pluralism. Contributors to this volume discuss press freedom and diversity through several case studies involving such countries as the Baltics, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Finland, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. This volume provides a critical basis from which to evaluate media freedom in the United States, and will consequently be of interest to scholars of media and communication studies.

Sujets

• Journalists
• Political Freedom
• Publishers
• Media Studies
• Social Science
• POLITICAL SCIENCE
• Sociologie, société et politique
• General officer
• Publishing
• Journalist
• Journalism
• History of film
• General
• Cultural Studies
• European
• Editors
• Media

Informations

• Publié par: Intellect Books
• Date de parution: 01 mars 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781841502977
• Langue: English

Extrait

European Communication Research and Education Association Series (ECREA)
This series consists of books arising from the intellectual work of ECREA members. Books address themes relevant to the ECREA s interests; make a major contribution to the theory, research, practice and/or policy literature; are European in scope; and represent a diversity of perspectives. Book proposals are refereed.
Series Editors Nico Carpentier Fran ois Heinderyckx
Series Advisory Board Denis McQuail Robert Picard Jan Servaes
The aims of the ECREA are
a) To provide a forum where researchers and others involved in communication and information research can meet and exchange information and documentation about their work. Its disciplinary focus will include media, (tele)communications and informatics research, including relevant approaches of human and social sciences;
b) To encourage the development of research and systematic study, especially on subjects and areas where such work is not well developed;
c) To stimulate academic and intellectual interest in media and communication research, and to promote communication and cooperation between members of the Association;
d) To co-ordinate the circulation of information on communications research in Europe, with a view to establishing a database of ongoing research;
e) To encourage, support and, where possible, publish the work of young researchers in Europe;
f) To take into account the desirability of different languages and cultures in Europe;
g) To develop links with relevant national and international communication organizations and with professional communication researchers working for commercial organizations and regulatory institutions, both public and private;
h) To promote the interests of communication research within and among the Member States of the Council of Europe and the European Union;
i) To collect and disseminate information concerning the professional position of communication researchers in the European region; and
j) To develop, improve and promote communication and media education.
Press Freedom and Pluralism in Europe
Concepts and Conditions
Press Freedom and Pluralism in Europe
Concepts and Conditions
Edited by
Andrea Czepek, Melanie Hellwig and Eva Nowak
First published in the UK in 2009 by Intellect Books, The Mill, Parnall Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3JG, UK
First published in the USA in 2009 by Intellect Books, The University of Chicago Press, 1427 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Copyright 2009 Intellect Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Cover designer: Holly Rose Copy-editor: Heather Owen Typesetting: Mac Style, Beverley, E. Yorkshire
ISBN 978-1-84150-243-4 EISBN 978-1-84150-297-7
Printed and bound by Gutenberg Press, Malta.
C ONTENTS
Introduction: Structural Inhibition of Media Freedom and Plurality across Europe
Andrea Czepek, Melanie Hellwig and Eva Nowak
Part One: Concepts
Measuring Media Freedom: Approaches of International Comparison
Markus Behmer
Pluralism and Participation as Desired Results of Press Freedom: Measuring Media System Performance
Andrea Czepek
Is the Clash of Rationalities Leading Nowhere? Media Pluralism in European Regulatory Policies
Beata Klimkiewicz
The Challenges of ICT to Media Pluralism
Lilia Raycheva
Press Freedom and Pluralism on the Micro Level: Journalistic Qualifications and Professionalization
Eva Nowak
Media Systems, Equal Rights and the Freedom of the Press: Gender as a Case in Point
Elisabeth Klaus
Media Governance and Media Quality Management: Theoretical Concepts and an Empirical Example from Switzerland
Vinzenz Wyss and Guido Keel
Part Two: Conditions (Case Studies)
Assessing Pluralism and the Democratic Performance of the Media in a Small Country: Setting a Comparative Research Agenda for the Baltic States
Aukse Balcytiene
Media in Poland and Public Discourse
Ryszard Filas and Pawe P aneta
Mass Media Developments in Bulgaria
Lilia Raycheva
Press Freedom and Media Pluralism in Romania: Facts, Myths and Paradoxes
Mihai Coman
Media Freedom and Pluralism in the United Kingdom (UK)
Peter Humphreys
Mind the Gap? Press Freedom and Pluralism in Finland
Inka Salovaara-Moring
Pre-Conditions for Press Freedom in Germany
Andrea Czepek, Melanie Hellwig and Eva Nowak
The Austrian Media System: Strong Media Conglomerates and an Ailing Public Service Broadcaster
Martina Thiele
Pluralism in the French Broadcasting System: Between the Legacy of History and the Challenges of New Technologies
Thierry Vedel
The Freedom of the Spanish Press
Ingrid Schulze-Schneider
Pluralism of Information in the Television Sector in Italy: History and Contemporary Conditions
Cinzia Padovani
The Authors
I NTRODUCTION : S TRUCTURAL I NHIBITION OF M EDIA F REEDOM AND P LURALITY ACROSS E UROPE
Andrea Czepek, Melanie Hellwig and Eva Nowak
In Europe, freedom of the press and an independent media system are often taken for granted. Conventionally, press freedom is defined as an absence of state intervention in media activities. All of the EU-member states today have implemented guarantees of press freedom in their constitutions and/or judicial systems. However, other factors such as economic in uences, historic, cultural and social conditions also have a substantial impact on media independence and on the media s ability to fulfil their societal functions. Media systems in Europe vary widely with regard to such factors and display different problematic areas in which independent reporting and plurality of content are inhibited.
Concerns about interferences with media freedom have been increasingly raised everywhere in Europe. In Italy, the re-election of commercial television mogul Silvio Berlusconi as prime minister in 2008 revives fears of monopolization in the television sector, a strong dominance of political and commercial control of television in the hands of very few, and an opaque entanglement of political and economic interests in the media system. In Poland, attempts by the new government to successively abandon public television fees and to partially privatize public television has resulted in a fierce battle with the state television board which was appointed by the previous government (epd medien 2008). In Germany, recent cases have been revealed in which journalists e-mail communication has been monitored - not only by the state secret service (Bundesnachrichtendienst), as happened in the case of a German Afghanistan correspondent, but also by private companies. 1
Economic concentration and the dominance of commercial objectives in the media systems, increasing state control due to anti terrorism efforts, and new digital technologies, pose new challenges to the European media, their autonomy and their capabilities in providing a platform for free, pluralistic exchange. Thus, a closer look at preconditions for independence and pluralism in European media systems seems to be worthwhile.
This volume entails contributions and discussions from the ongoing research project Press Freedom and Pluralism in Europe (PLUS). In this project, nineteen researchers from twelve countries explore and compare media systems in Europe regarding their capabilities of providing independent, pluralistic media. The book discusses definitions of the concepts of freedom of the press, media pluralism and participation in the media in Europe. It addresses the difficulties of measuring press freedom, the paradigms in defining media pluralism, as well as the possible role of training processes and approaches to self-regulation.
The case studies included illustrate chances and concerns with regard to press freedom and media plurality in Europe. The examples from EU member states in Central and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Romania), from Western Europe (Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain), Northern Europe (Finland) and Southern Europe (Italy, Spain) form a basis for future comparative research. Concerns and developments of interferences with press freedom which have been observed to be trends across Europe are structured along different realms of society: legal provisions, economic structures, political framework, historical development, social and cultural in uences, traditions, and religion. Some observations:
Media freedom in Europe may increasingly be impeded by economic factors, such as increasing financial dependency on mass markets. Also, concentration of ownership increases dependency on fewer, more powerful media conglomerates. The tension between regulation (in order to ensure plurality and participation) and de-regulation (in order to enable an independent development of media) is discussed further on in this book.
Security policies, especially with regard to the prevention of terrorism, have a growing impact on media freedom (for example surveillance, data protection issues).
With EU-enlargement, challenges to the development of free media in post-communist states have to be addressed (for example small markets and monopolies; traditionally strong political control of the media).
Internet and digital media pose new opportunities, but also new challenges for media freedom. How, for example, can privacy rights be protected while free speech is guaranteed?
In its current White Paper on a European Communication Policy (see Commission of the European Communities 2006), the EU-Commission demands more press freedom, plurality and citizens participation in public communication. But how free are the media in Europe? And what are the consequences of the different economic, political and social preconditions in the European states, regarding the div