Irregularities Everywhere In The New EU

Michael Hedges February 9, 2012 Follow on Twitter

Eight countries formerly in the Soviet orbit plus Malta and Cyprus became Member States of the European Union (EU) in 2004. Two others – Bulgaria and Romania – joined in 2007. In those early days major media and press freedom indicators showed the promise of open media in newly democratic societies. Happiness was everywhere. While there have been successes, in less than ten years those same indexes point to failure in several of the new EU Member States. Happiness now, largely, is gone.

The Association of European Radio (AER) is the latest in a long list of media watchers and NGOs to question the Hungarian government’s media policies, laws and agencies. In a letter to the Hungarian Media Council (February 7) the AER protests “irregularities” in radio licensing and the apparent bias in licensing against news and talk radio broadcasters. Without specifically mentioning the recent and oft noted licensing difficulties of Budapest station Klubradio, AER President Alfonso Ruiz de Assin cordially mentioned that the EU rules demand that  “Measures taken by Member States regarding end-users access to, or use of, services and applications through electronic communications networks shall respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of natural persons.” (See AER statement here)

The plight of Hungary’s media has become, due to significant international outrage, the poster child for government efforts to control, indeed emasculate independent radio, television and print. In its 2005 Press Freedom Index, Reporters sans Frontiers (RSF) ranked Hungary 12th in the world, near the top. In the 2011-2012 RSF Index Hungary fell to 40th. NGO Freedom House ranked Hungary 21st in 2005 and 65th in 2011. Hungary’s government under Viktor Orban has consolidated media control through politically aligned regulators, reverted the public broadcaster to an old school State media arm and pushed out foreign-owned broadcasters in favor of political cronies. And, yes, radio stations are encouraged to limit news and talk content in favor of playing lots of music. Less talk, more music isn’t just a business model.

All but two of the new EU ten Member States (2004) ranked in the top 25 of the RSF 2005 Press Freedom Index; the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia in the top 10. Poland ranked 53rd and Malta was not ranked. With the 2011-2012 Index, six had fallen (Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Lithuania and Latvia) while three rose (Poland, Estonia and Cyprus). The 2011-2012 RSF Index ranked Malta at 58. After publication of the 2010 Index, RSF altered its methodology somewhat, resulting in lower rankings among some countries in the top tier. The RSF 2011-2012 Press Freedom Index was published in January 2012.

The RSF 2011-2012 index ranked Estonia 3rd in the world, placing it slightly below top ranked, fellow Scandinavians Finland and Norway. Poland was clearly most improved in the RSF indices, from 53rd in 2005 to 24th in 2011-2012.

The Freedom House Freedom of the Press index in 2005, perhaps reflecting optimism for these emerging democracies, ranked all ten of the EU new Member States, class of 2004, between numbers 17 and 22, nearing the top tier. By 2011, all had fallen; the Czech Republic and Estonia the least, Hungary and Latvia the most.

The newest of the new Member States – Bulgaria and Romania – have fared badly in the press freedom trends. The Freedom House 2005 index ranked Bulgaria 35th and Romania 47th. Both dropped in the 2011 index, to 77th and 87th, respectively. RSF ranked Bulgaria 48th in 2005 and 80th in 2011 but was kinder to Romania, which rose from 70th in 2005 to 47th in the 2011-2012 index. The RSF report accompanying the rankings noted a “lack of political will” in addressing media freedom “violations.” It cited a social media campaign against a commercial television journalist for reporting on the Roma minorities and the bombing of a TV talk-show hosts car in October 2011. The Association of European Journalists (Bulgaria) asked the Bulgarian prosecutor general (January 24) to investigate daily newspaper 7 Dni Sport for “incitement for racial hatred and discrimination.”

The indices of press freedom – Freedom House and RSF – use subjective criteria, subject to noted criticism, and results can differ. Taken broadly, they show the difficulties among the many new Members States in balancing new found freedoms, fundamental rights and populist politics.

Croatia will become the newest EU Member State in July 2013, the second nation of the former Yugoslavia after Slovenia. It too had better press freedom rankings in both the Freedom House and RSF indices once upon a time than today; 37th in the 2005 Freedom House index dropping to 85th and 56th in the 2005 RSF index dropping to 68th.  Intimidation of journalists and news organizations by political operatives is common, said a report from the South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO).

Iceland became a candidate country officially in 2010. Both RSF and Freedom House rank its press freedom in the top tier of all countries. Once the prickly fishing issue is sorted, Icelanders could vote on EU Membership by 2015. Iceland’s Parliament passed in 2010 legislation creating the strongest protection for journalism in the world. “Iceland will become the inverse of a tax haven; by offering journalists and publishers some of the most powerful protections for free speech and investigative journalism in the world,” said co-sponsor MP Birgitta Jonsdottir. “Tax havens aim is to make everything opaque. Our aim is to make everything transparent.”  Opacity isn’t limited to tax havens.

Macedonia, Montenegro and Turkey make up the last three of the official EU candidate list. Among the candidate countries, RSF ranked Turkey dead last, 148th, down from 98th in 2005. At least that’s better than Belarus.

See also in ftm Knowledge

Press/Media Freedom - Challenges and Concerns

Press and media freedom worldwide is facing challenges from many corners. As authoritarian leaders impose strict control over traditional and new media with impunity, media watchers have concerns for democracy. This ftm Knowledge file accounts the troubles of this difficult decade. 88 pages. PDF (December 2011)

Order here

Flying Through Turbulence – Media in the New EU Member States

ftm reports on media in the 12 newest EU Member States. Will media find clear air or more turbulence? Country reports, company reports and broadcaster/publisher reports. 98 pages PDF file (February 2007)

Order here