Hot Topic - European Commission/European Parliament

Media Independence, Journalist Protection In New Legislation - September 17, 2021
Media freedom has broad support across the globe. Not everybody on our planet, literally and figuratively, agrees what that means. The crux of the term is that citizens should have the freedom to choose media suiting their needs and liking. hate speech and pornography generally excluded. The other side, obviously, is the freedom for media providers to supply their creations, getting paid for it generally understood. The post-modern age has made the calculus, well, calculus.

Misunderstanding The Land Of Earthquakes - July 7, 2021
Ideas are the competitive edge in the long slog of human behavior. Good ones bring benefit, sometimes remarkable. Bad ones, to paraphrase Gresham's Law, drive the good ones out, typically by rewarding short-term self-interest and punishing innovation. Bad ideas, however, can be valuable for shining a light on foolishness.

Worrying Situations, There Are Several: Strong Rules Required - May 5, 2021
Multi-state agreements come together only after a problem situation is widely accepted. Long arduous negotiations run through details, risks and compromises. With forbearance - and luck - an acceptable document is signed. If not, the problem only grows, possibly infecting others.

Courts To Host Battle Over Media Takeovers - April 17, 2021
Two significant media acquisitions in Poland were thrown into disarray this past week. The Polish government, controlled by the right-wing nativist xenophobic Law and Justice party (PiS), announced months ago plans to “repolonize” the country’s media sector to further reduce any critical news reporting. The European Commission has referred Poland to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for examination of several rule of law issues.

Rude Awakening As Authoritarian Playbook Slips Away - February 14, 2021
It was a ragged week for Poland’s independent media sphere. A rushed advertising revenue tax was the main event, seemingly intended to add pressure on larger publishers and broadcasters not subservient to political intentions. On Wednesday (February 10), newspapers and online news portals showed blank front pages, TV broadcasters offered black screens, radio stations went silent. More than 40 outlets offered simple messages: Media with no choice (Media bez wyboru) or This used to be your favorite program (Tu mial byc Twój ulubiony program).

While The Fire Burns, Dancing Around Disinformation Continues - December 9, 2020
It isn’t called fake news anymore. That term was appropriated by its greatest purveyors. It can’t be halted by laws or even appeals to common sense. It can’t be taxed; who gets the bill? Disinformation continues to rage setting extremists on fire.

Disinformation, The Raging Virus - September 14 2020
It is a point on a matrix, disinformation. There is no straight line from misinformation, common mistakes, through to malevolent propaganda. Nor is there a curve. There are points called fake news and hate speech. In this matrix, points interact and mutate. And like a virus, it becomes stronger and lethal.