Journalists at Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Istanbul entered their 7th day of strike action to demand higher salaries in the face of soaring prices. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) expresses support for striking journalists and urges the AFP to provide decent wages to its employees. A fair wage is not a privilege, but a right. The Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) went on strike on World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, after failing to reach an agreement with the management of the global news agency. Journalists’ demands include an increase in salaries to compensate for inflation as well…

This op-ed was published on the Social Europe website. By Oliver Roethig and Ricardo Gutiérrez The aspiration for a quality news platform that draws Europe together is being suffocated. In the wake of the takeover last year of Euronews, an editorial overhaul and mass layoffs are being pressed by its new owner. In 1993, Euronews was created by national public broadcasters as a European response to the ‘CNN effect’—how news channels were increasingly shaping public and political opinion. A broadcaster with a public mission at its heart was the vision, the choice to construct a freely-accessible, multilingual European alternative, in the hands of the public,…

On 3 May, Raman Pratasevich, former editor of the Telegram opposition news channel Nexta, was given an eight year prison sentence by a Belarusian court in Minsk. He was arrested back in 2021. The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) join their affiliate, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), in condemning this blatant attack on press freedom and in calling for him to be released immediately. Following a trial that lasted nearly three months, Raman Pratasevich was found guilty and convicted on alleged charges that included “organising mass riots”, “incitement to hatred”, “founding an extremist group”, “conspiracy to seize…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) organised, on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, a 1.5 day conference on the safety of journalists. Held at the Bozar in Brussels, the conference brought together journalists, experts, representatives of the EU and trade unions to discuss the safety of journalists, both physically and psychologically. If journalists and media workers are not protected, democracies are endangered The conference opened with a minute of silence for killed journalists around the world. Figures show that Europe has become a dangerous place for media professionals: for the year 2022, the Media Freedom Rapid Response…

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) launched its risk assessment tool designed to help journalists and media workers better prepare for risky assignments. The platform safety4journalists.org was presented on 3 May in Brussels during the final conference of the Safety4Journalists project. The website has been developed by safety experts with experience in training journalists, media workers and media managers. Journalists completing the survey will receive customised advice to help mitigate the risks that they might face during a specific assignment, along with rapid response mechanisms. They are also able to visualise these…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined European organisations, representing thousands of media outlets, journalists and all other media workers across the EU, in calling on Member States to ensure effective protection of sources in the proposed European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). While we welcome the intentions of Article 4, which “aims to guarantee that journalists and editors can work without interference, including when it comes to protecting their sources and communications”, we consider the protections foreseen in the Commission’s draft to be insufficient to effectively shield journalists from undue interference, prohibit surveillance of journalists and protect journalistic sources and…

Journalists’ organisations across Europe demonstrated against austerity on 1 May. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the delegation of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) in Paris alongside the French unions. “Europe needs a new economic and social model that puts people and the planet before profit at any cost,” said Esther Lynch, the ETUC General Secretary. “That’s the future that European trade union members will be demonstrating for today. And that will be the objective of our discussions and decision at the ETUC’s congress later this month. The history of May Day tells us that real change is…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins journalists and press freedom, civil society, trade unions, and digital rights groups in a letter to Sabine Verheyen, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT), in expressing concerns about several changes in the CULT’s report on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).  Dear Sabine Verheyen, We, the undersigned journalists, press freedom, civil society, trade unions, and digital rights groups, are writing to you with regard to the proposed amendments to the draft  European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) you have written as the Rapporteur on behalf of the Committee on Culture…

Our Italian FNSI affiliates were visited today in Rome by Julian Assange‘s wife, Stella Morris. The Italian journalists’ union, at the initiative of its Campania branch, presented Julian Assange with an FNSI membership card. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) passed on the initiative to its affiliates in Europe: 19 of them decided to follow the Italian example and grant Julian Assange membership (or honorary membership) of their organisations. The EFJ and its affiliates once again call on the UK authorities to release Julian Assange. Here is the joint appeal delivered to Stella Morris in Rome this morning: We, the…