Discussion about the current situation for media in Europe on July 3rd on ORF III and on ORF ON
Vienna (OTS) – Beata Belogová, editor-in-chief of the Slovak daily newspaper “SME”, warns: “If hatred explodes in the public, it can no longer be controlled and we are all in danger.” In fact, the situation in our neighboring country Slovakia after the assassination attempt on the prime minister Robert Fico worrying: attacks on media freedom are increasing. The government has announced the dissolution of the public broadcaster RTVS. Is the independence of the media really threatened in parts of Europe? Belogová discussed this in the ORF DialogForum with Daniela Kraus (Concordia Press Club) and Renate Schroeder (European Federation of Journalists). In another panel, Lucia Virostková (University of Bratislava), Tessa Szyszkowitz (“Falter”) and Fritz Hausjell (Reporters Without Borders) will address the topic. ORF Hungary correspondent Ernst Gelegs and ORF Italy correspondent Cornelia Vospernik contribute international perspectives.
The discussion event can be seen on ORF III on Wednesday, July 3rd at 11:35 p.m. and can then be accessed on ORF ON.
Lucia Virostková is concerned about the current situation in Slovakia: “Public broadcasting journalists are afraid. They wanted to report objectively and were therefore critical of the planned law to re-establish the station – now they fear being punished for it.” Some media have contributed to this situation themselves: “At least three TV hosts had to leave because the ruling parties refused to take part in their discussions. By giving in to this, the media signaled to politicians that they could actually get rid of critical journalists.”
For Fritz Hausjell, certain patterns emerge: “We have some countries in Europe that are striving for an authoritarian course. One of the first elements, in addition to trying to get the judiciary under control, is always to control the media and deprive them of what is important for a democracy: diversity and the power to control.” In Austria he sees an “educational desert in the media sector”, which is why he calls for counter-strategies: “More media competence and media education are needed; an awareness of the benefits for individual citizens when there is as much journalistic sovereignty and diversity as possible. But we don’t convey this enough in the education system, and the media themselves are still too reserved.”
Tessa Szyszkowitz, who has conducted research on the subject of media freedom in several European countries, exudes at least some hope: “People don’t care about everything. A very high percentage is in favor of the European Union acting as a protective power for media freedom and even imposing sanctions on governments that restrict journalists’ freedom of reporting and their editorial independence. “People want a free media landscape, and authoritarian governments are cutting into their own flesh,” says the journalist with conviction.
For ORF correspondent Ernst Gelegs, who joined via video message, the independence of the media in Hungary is in poor shape, as was recently shown in the elections to the European Parliament. A critical corrective in the form of public broadcasting is all the more needed: “Of course, mistakes can always happen, but the effort must be credible. Public broadcasting must also be financed independently, according to the motto: whoever pays, creates. If these requirements are met, public broadcasting is an important pillar of democracy.”
With regard to the dismantling of Slovak public broadcasting, Beata Belogová emphasizes that the situation has become even worse: “There is a confusion in society about what is hate and what is critical journalism. Politics wants to redefine what journalism should be.” At the same time, Belogová notes that great hatred is particularly directed against women in journalism. Slovakia will be a test for the European Union, said Belogová, because “autocrats learn quickly from each other.” But: “There are still free media, we feel that there is hope.”
“We all have to work together to improve the discourse and not just look at journalism and politics in isolation,” demands Daniela Kraus from the Concordia Press Club, because “we are in a downward spiral of discourse.” Right-wing parties want to destroy the rule of law and free media with the “system” they name. “But we live in a very good democracy. And that requires professionally researched information and free media.”
“Today there is a connection between vulgar political campaigns and the toxic language of Big Tech platforms,” explains Renate Schroeder from the European Federation of Journalists. “Lies are spread faster today, hate speech is more exciting than boring facts. But without facts there is no common level.” Only journalists could counteract the polarization caused by filter bubbles. Their role in holding society together is becoming ever greater. However, financial sustainability is needed: “Without fair pay, journalism becomes a niche function.”
ORF correspondent Cornelia Vospernik provides insights from Austria’s neighboring country Italy: “There has always been political influence, but never before has it been so obvious and so without interference.” Vospernik locates structural changes in the Italian media landscape: “There have been departures of well-known presenters . The regular attacks on an investigative magazine on the third public channel are very striking. What is worrying for the political discourse in the country is that social problems are exaggerated in numerous discussion programs.”
The ORF DialogForum was moderated by Klaus Unterberger, ORF Public Value.
The ORF DialogForum is an ORF initiative to stimulate conversation with its audience, Austrian institutions, organizations and groups in society.