The Council of the European Union (EU) recently adopted the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) in order to protect Media Freedom, Media Pluralism and Editorial Independence in the 27-member bloc. As the majority of people's beliefs, behaviours and decisions of people depend on financial or political news, the repetition of various words published by the media correlates with the ups and downs of their incomes, investments, and even the performance of stock markets. Media houses have to abide by various restrictions to ensure that people are not misled. At the same time, it is the duty of the Government in a Democratic System to protect their Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression by formulating laws.
In an Autocratic or Authoritarian System, people are often sceptical about the authenticity of official news. In such a system, the Government fully controls the press. Hence, news items published by state-controlled media outlets do not influence people's decisions. In an Authoritarian System, the Government uses the media as a tool of propaganda that suppresses reality! As a result, rulers fail to read people's minds and to get prepared to deal with an uprising. In case free and fair elections take place somehow, then the fall of the Government becomes inevitable.
Politically biased news items do a lot of damage especially in democratic countries where people believe that the media publish more or less accurate news. So, people make wrong decisions because of the Government's false propaganda about the economic condition of the country or only the desired news of the Government about the political situation. News is basically information, which is the greatest resource in the contemporary world. People analyse those pieces of information in various ways and reach different conclusions, individually or socially. Hence, if the Government controls the quality of news items, then there is a high possibility of financial, as well as political, losses in a democratic country.
Governments have always been concerned about what and how much (information) the press would be allowed to publish! Newspaper surveillance, regulation and even the closing of the printing press were common phenomena in 19th Century England. The Government used to reduce the production of newspapers by imposing additional taxes on newsprint and advertising. Just before the First World War, Governments in different European countries gradually relaxed their control over the press and began to rely on the power of the market forces. They realised that the coverage of news that the Government deemed harmful to the public interest could be reduced with the increase of competition in the media sector. Sir Edwin Chadwick (January 24, 1800 - July 6, 1890) or John Stuart Mill (May 20, 1806 - May 7, 1873) relied on competition to lift Government control over the press. Even in the 21st Century, there is a room for doubt about the authenticity of news where there is less competition in the media sector.
In a press release, the EU Council mentioned: "The EMFA has provisions on the transparency obligations for media service providers, on public service media providers, on the editorial content of very large online platforms and on the transparency of state advertising." It stated: "In addition, the EMFA imposes obligations on the assessment of media market concentrations on media pluralism and diversity. It also introduces measures to protect journalists and their sources from political interference in editorial decisions." The Council added: "The new rules will guarantee the right of citizens to access free and plural information and define the responsibility of Member States to provide the appropriate conditions and framework to protect it. The EMFA is part of the EU's efforts to promote democratic participation, counter disinformation and support media freedom and pluralism."
During the plenary debate, Rapporteur from the Culture and Education Committee Sabine Verheyen (EPP, DE) stressed: "The significance of media plurality for a functioning democracy cannot be stressed enough. Press freedom is threatened worldwide, including in Europe: the murder in Malta, threats to press freedom in Hungary and many other examples clearly prove that." She said: "The European Media Freedom Act is our answer to this threat and a milestone in European legislation. It values and protects the double role of media as businesses and as guardians of democracy."
Meanwhile, Rapporteur from the Civil Liberties Committee Ramona Strugariu (Renew, RO) stated: "Journalists now have an ally, a set of tools that protects them, boosts their independence and helps them face challenges, interference and the pressure that they are often confronted with in their job. This Regulation is a response to Orbán, Fico, Janša, Putin and those who want to transform media into their own propaganda tools or spread fake news and destabilise our democracies. No journalist should ever fear pressure of any sort when doing their job and informing citizens."
The need for such a law that is not limited to the EU. Other countries, including India, also require such a law to safeguard Democracy.
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