“Yesterday, quiet and quiet, one of the most dangerous EU laws in recent years came into force-the so-called European Media Freedom Act. Without public debate, without media attention. The EU Commission knows exactly why it does not staged this step: This law is not a protective sign for media freedom, but a gateway for Brussels control and patronizing Steger.
With the new law, the EU is moving central skills in the media sector to Brussels and creating another authority with the European Board for Media Services that can intervene in editorial decisions. “This is a direct attack on the national sovereignty of the Member States and the independence of our media. Brussels thus becomes a censor in his own interest,” said Steger.
Steger is particularly critical of the preference and permanent financing of public service media anchored in the law: “Private, often government-critical providers are starved, while state broadcasters are fed with EU backing.
The comprehensive transparency and ownership duties are also a double-edged sword. “What is sold as transparency can be used specifically to put unpleasant media under pressure and to damage them economically. Those who do not fit into the desired spectrum of opinion gets a target,” says Elisabeth Dieringer, MEP of the FPÖ and member of the European Parliament’s Culture Committee.
“The EU calls it media freedom – in truth it is the next step towards a politically controlled media landscape. We freedom will continue to fight for the fact that there is space for real diversity, critical journalism and national self -determination in Europe,” emphasizes Dieringer.
OTS original text press release with the exclusive in terms of content of the sender – www.ots.at | FPK