Guarantees of media pluralism and independence in the European Media Freedom Act

Abstract

Media freedom and pluralism underpin the effective distribution of information and serve an important function in the process of controlling those in power. The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which entered into force on 7 May 2024 and will become effective on 8 August 2025, was adopted to strengthen media independence and diversity in the European Union. It is the first EU regulation to comprehensively cover the entire media sector, going beyond the previous framework limited to audiovisual media. The key tenets of the EMFA include: ensuring the protection of journalists and their sources from surveillance, surveillance and political interference; increasing transparency in media ownership and audience measurement methods; establishing an obligation to guarantee the editorial and institutional independence of public service media; personalising media offerings on end devices; controlling concentration processes in the media market to preserve pluralism; and establishing European Board for Media Services as  an independent supervisory and advisory body. The author of the article analyses the effects of the introduction of the EMFA, with a particular focus on potential changes in national media systems and the impact of the new regulations on the functioning of journalists and media institutions in the Member States.