Asset Publisher

Event Reports

Media freedom in Europe – despite total surveillance?

by Denica Zheleva
KAS Media Program at the 12th Frankfurt Days on Media Law and the 5th Workshop of the Art. 10 ECHR Task Force

Asset Publisher

Last year’s public debate was stirred up by sensational revelations on the extent of mass surveillance of all digital communication. In the light of the technical possibilities for their manipulation, the question of how to guarantee free and well-informed opinion-building and the exercise of democratic citizen rights, is becoming more important. How can the effectiveness of media acting as a "public watchdog" be ensured? Is investigative journalism at all possible without the protection of sources?

Those issues were discussed at the conference organised by Prof. Dr. Johannes Weberling (European University Viadrina) and the German Association for East European Studies which brought together journalists, lawyers, media and legal experts from Germany and Eastern Europe. KAS was also participating in the programme from 12th till 14th March in Frankfurt (Oder). The head of KAS Media Program South East Europe, Christian Spahr, chaired a panel discussion about the legal possibilities for mass surveillance and protection of journalistic sources.

Following a realistic assessment of the state of affairs, possibilities of how media freedom can be safeguarded in Europe despite surveillance were discussed. The debate was based on the awareness that our present social reality is defined by the internet. Prof. Weberling noted on the positive side that recent studies show an increased willingness to pay for quality journalism. He further stressed that professional journalistic ethics and standards of quality journalism have to be maintained. Various participants emphasised that national and European legislation must be developed further to avoid dangers and prevent shortcomings.

The 5th workshop of the Article 10 ECHR Task Force started with an overview of media developments in the countries of South East Europe, as well as in Poland, Hungary and Belarus. Further topics of discussion included standards and ideas for the protection of media freedom and quality journalism in Europe in the age of "big data" and despite total surveillance, as well as data protection standards and possibilities for journalistic investigations of intelligence agencies.

More information hier and hier

Asset Publisher

comment-portlet

Asset Publisher