“Defending media freedom is defending the core of democratic societies,” says OSCE Media Freedom Representative
VIENNA, 23 November 2023 – At a pivotal juncture for media freedom, Teresa Ribeiro, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, delivered her sixth biannual report to the Permanent Council today. The report, a reflection on her three-year tenure, portrays a media environment under duress. With media freedom serving as a barometer of democratic viability, Ribeiro's findings signal an urgent call to action.
"Defending media freedom is defending the core of democratic societies, instrumental for maintaining peace and security," the Representative emphasized.
In her report, Ribeiro addresses several critical points, including the ongoing war against Ukraine by the Russian Federation and its repercussions for journalists, the complete clampdown on media freedom in some OSCE countries, and the ongoing safety concerns that journalists face, including online and physical attacks, legal harassment and detention. She also mentioned measures that some authorities have taken in the name of national security that suppress media freedom.
“There is no shortcut in addressing today’s security challenges,” the Representative stated. “Media freedom and security are not opposing ends of the spectrum, but rather concurring to the same goals. There can be no security without media freedom. Only by strengthening our democratic institutions and the rule of law, by preserving and defending media freedom and by investing in a resilient and well-informed citizenry, will we be able to revert the democratic regress and provide sustainable responses to today’s uncertainties.”
Ribeiro also paid attention to the various challenges in the digital realm that risk undermining media freedom and pluralism as a bedrock of democracy. “In a broader freedom of expression context, it is essential to ensure that online information spaces provide access to reliable, diverse, and public interest information. To this end, it is timely and necessary that we start thinking about what a framework for the information space that will promote the visibility and accessibility of public interest information and content could look like – in other words: a Public Interest Framework.”
The Representative concluded by noting some positive developments as a testament to the potential for progress amidst adversity, including measures by some participating States to enhance journalists’ safety, and new regulations to tackle emerging challenges in the digital sphere and to provide for a safer and healthier digital space.
The report can be found here: https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/b/0/558531.pdf
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.