Task Force for Co-ordination of Media Affairs - Media Pluralism
Independent Study on Indicators for Media Pluralism in the Member States - Towards a Risk-Based Approach
Step Two of the Commission's three-step approach for advancing the debate on media pluralism within the European Union, initiated in January 2007 [IP/07/52], has reached completion. The final report of the study that started in January 2008 is available on this page.
The objective
The objective of the study was to develop a monitoring tool for assessing risks for media pluralism in the EU Member States and identifying threats to such pluralism based on a set of indicators, covering pertinent legal, economic and socio-cultural considerations.
The research team
This study was carried out by a group of three academic institutes, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven – ICRI, Central European University – CMCS and Jönköping International Business School – MMTC, together with a consultancy firm, Ernst & Young Belgium. This group of experts was supported by subcontractors: non-affiliated members of the research team, members of the Quality Control Team and members of the network of local media experts (‘Country Correspondents’).
The tool
The Media Pluralism Monitor (or MPM) is designed to identify potential risks to media pluralism in Member States. The monitor and its implementation processes are based on several important principles and elements.
- It adopts a broad notion of media pluralism. In mature democracies media pluralism encompasses political, cultural, geographical, structural and content related dimensions.
- It recognises that media of all types – public service, commercial and community media – play important roles in creating pluralism and that a range of media types and channels/titles are important for providing pluralism. At the same time, it also recognises different policy and regulatory approaches toward certain types of media (e.g. broadcasting, print and new media) and such distinctions are reflected in the indicators.
- The Media Pluralism Monitor is designed as a diagnostic tool for obtaining a broad understanding of risks to media pluralism in a Member State, but does not set policy responses.
- It uses a broad range of indicators to identify risk across six domains. The risk outcomes should be considered as a whole – elevating some domains or indicators or diminishing others would skew the assessment of the reported risks.
- This assessment is best carried out in a transparent manner in consultation with stakeholders.
The final output
The
Final Report
describes the approach and method used to design these
indicators and their integration into a risk-based framework. It contains no
policy recommendation as such. Please note that chapter 8
summarises feedback from the stakeholder workshop and explains how the
consultants included pertinent points in the final report. It contains the
following annexes:
The User Guide
: explains how the Monitor can be applied in practice
(how to install the MPM software, how to calculate indicator scores, how to
interpret the resulting risk profiles, etc.).
The Media Pluralism Monitor
: an Excel file containing the
indicators embedded in a risk-based scoring system;
The Country Reports
: prepared in 2008 during the early
stages of the study, these were an input into the development of the legal
indicators. Following factual verification by Member States, they were
annexed to the final report with a view to publication in the interest of
transparency. Please note that they do not constitute an implementation of
the MPM.
Archive
Page - Earlier inputs plus background items can be found
here.