Activities of Helga TRÜPEL related to 2017/2209(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on media pluralism and media freedom in the European Union
Amendments (10)
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that the formation of public opinion is based upon a social pact between citizens and media professionals aimed at influencing those in power for the purposes of general interest; notes with the gravest concern that the financing system for the press has collapsedis under serious threat, resulting in dominant media players using information to pursue political and commercial propaganda objectives, thereby dramatically lowering the quality of information and giving rise to phenomena such as ‘fake news’;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that online media pluralism is under serious threat from the excessive concentration of corporate power; asks the Commission and the Member States, therefore, to overcome regulatory deficiencies in order to create legal clarity and consistency to ensure media freedom and prevent the abuse of their dominant position by web giants, through a modernised EU competition policy that ensures fair competition in the European media sector in the context of online convergence and the growing role of online platforms as intermediaries and through a regulatory framework that makes licensing of commercial use of copyright protected press articles compulsory, thus ensuring a fair remuneration of press publishers and ultimately of journalists;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recommends the European Commission to develop a sectorial strategy for the European media sector to foster innovation and sustainability of media;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the fact that freedom of information in Europe is being jeopardised by increasing intimidation of and acts of aggression against journalists, as proven by the recent murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia; underlines that whistle-blowing is an essential element for investigative journalism and freedom of press; recalls that journalists can be subject to legal prosecution rather than legal protection when, acting in the public interest, they disclose information or report suspected misconduct, wrongdoing, fraud or illegal activity; therefore calls on the Commission to set up a framework for a common European legislation to protect whistle-blowers and journalists;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Acknowledges the successful establishment of the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) in the context of a European Union pilot project and highlights the ECPMF’s well- known work to counter attacks on press and media freedom through systematic recording of violations of media freedom in Europe and offering direct support to journalists and media freedom activists under threat and at risk of becoming victims of violence; asks the Commission to develop the necessary tools and provide the necessary funding to make the ECPMF a permanent EU structure;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines that media professionals often work in precarious conditions with regard to their contracts, salaries and social guarantees, which compromises their ability to work appropriately and thus hampers media freedom; encourages the media sector to safeguard gender equality in media policy and practice, through co- regulatory mechanisms, internal codes of conduct and other voluntary actions;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises that a critical use of media content is essential to people’s understanding of current issues and to their contribution to public life; media literacy empowers citizens and builds resilience against populism in Europe and is a crucial democratic competence, calls, therefore, on the Commission and the Member States to promote and support media literacy projects and develop further activities under EU funding programmes, such as ESI-Funds and Horizon 2020.
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Encourages the Commission and Member States to promote training and educational initiatives to all relevant stakeholders, including children, parents, teachers, social workers, child protection officers, civil society organisations and national authorities; supports age appropriate innovative tools to promote empowerment, media literacy and online safety as compulsory education at schools;
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Underlines that all citizens have the right to access to independent information in their mother tongue, be it state or minority language; asks the Commission and the Member States to push forwards polices that would guarantee that access;
Amendment 91 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Stresses the importance to develop further models for the establishment of a European public service broadcasting platform that fosters EU wide political debates based on facts, dissent and respect, contributes to a plurality of views in new converged media environment and fosters the visibility of the EU in its external relations;