Europe’s support for independent media cannot rely on public subsidies alone
Media Diversity Institute, Media Diversity Institute Global and MDI Western Balkans have joined more than 100 organisations to call on the European Parliament, the European Commission, and Member States to guarantee substantial and long-term EU funding and investment for public interest media.
The organisations, which have signed a joint letter, stress that independent journalism and public-interest media are essential for Europe’s democracy, economy, and resilience against hybrid threats.
The letter calls for a robust and strategic EU investment in free and independent media in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034.
The letter says:
“The economic foundations of journalism have collapsed: while public-interest media bear the costs of producing verified information, much of the value is extracted by private digital service providers. Europe must therefore move beyond short-term project funding toward structural and targeted investment solutions that position the media as a critical actor within the democratic and digital infrastructure.
“The absence of journalism in one place endangers democracy everywhere. Where media freedom is dismantled, authoritarian power grows unchecked — and that power inevitably threatens societies beyond its borders.”
You can read the full letter here.
