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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 14

Study's recommendations:
💡 recognise new actors
💡 create ethical oversight for digital formats
💡 integrate human rights perspectives
💡 combat covert disinformation

PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 14

🔄 The paradox: While press councils debate whether YouTubers count as "journalists," they're already doing journalism with massive social impact.

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 14

⚠️ The "pseudo-media" problem: Hyperpartisan outlets have smaller but highly loyal audiences. Press councils are wary of labeling them "fake" - Finland's council warns this could backfire and strengthen polarization. Meanwhile, many far-right YouTubers are gaining serious influence.

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 14

📊 43% want independent journalist/academic bodies regulating media, 32% want government registers.
But there’s a split 👉 older folks prefer free markets while Gen Z actually wants MORE government control over media. News avoidance is also higher among younger groups.

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 8

A comprehensive new study by Blanquerna Roman Llull university shows significant challenges for press councils in defining media outlets and regulating emerging digital news formats in an era of declining public trust and changing information consumption habits. #PressCouncilsEU

New study explores European press councils’ practices in responding to new digital challenges

A comprehensive new study by Blanquerna Roman Llull university shows significant challenges in defining media outlets and regulating emerging digital ...

www.presscouncils.eu

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 3

In an era of fragmented attention, misinformation & technology-driven disruption, media councils face various challenges.

Ghent University analysed how media councils respond to common issues, essentially investigating how journalistic ethics are upheld 🕵️‍♀️

www.presscouncils.eu/european-med...

European media councils face common challenges in the digital age

Ghent University’s new research analysed 178 complaint decisions from nine European media councils in 2022, examining how journalism ethics are ...

www.presscouncils.eu

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 1

What is TRACK?

Transparency, Representation, Awareness, Commitment, and Knowledge

🧩 Each is a piece of the puzzle to modernise #EU press councils and adapt to digital realities

#MediaCouncils #TRACKmodel

PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 1

Today the Netherlands Council for Journalism ‪@rvdj.nl‬ unveiled the TRACK model 🙌

💡 It's an innovative framework designed to strengthen #EU media councils across Europe. A major step forward for media self-regulation, trust, and accountability 🧵

www.presscouncils.eu/netherlands-...

Netherlands Council for Journalism unveils TRACK model to strengthen EU Media Councils

A new report from the Netherlands Council for Journalism, Raad voor de Journalistiek, introduces the TRACK model (Transparency, Representation, ...

www.presscouncils.eu

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 1

🌍 Why it matters for EU media?
Based on the EU-funded Media Councils in the Digital Age (MCDA) project, TRACK aims to harmonise self-regulation across Europe's diverse media councils

PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 1

KNOWLEDGE-SHARING

Media councils across Europe operate differently. TRACK creates a shared learning environment: toolkits, case libraries, staff exchanges, etc.

💪 We're stronger together

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 1

COMMITMENT

TRACK promotes dialogue between journalists, platforms, policymakers & civil society.

🤝 It’s a model for shared responsibility, without any control over content

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 1

ACCOUNTABILITY

How are councils held to account? Through regular monitoring, audits, and performance indicators

🎯 TRACK encourages benchmarking and external evaluations to ensure impartiality and effectiveness

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 1

RESPONSIVENESS

TRACK stresses quick, accessible complaint procedures that are digital, multilingual & user-friendly.

⚡ Fast handling = greater citizen engagement and relevance

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 1

TRANSPARENCY

The model calls for press councils to publish clear, accessible case rulings, editorial codes, and processes. This builds public trust and helps journalists understand the standards they’re being held to

📖 Openness = legitimacy

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jul 1

What is TRACK?
Transparency • Responsiveness • Accountability • Co-regulation • Knowledge-sharing

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 27

Not-for-profit media stood out:
✔️ 76% of content was original
✔️ Minimal use of anonymous sources
✔️ Highest rate of ethical compliance

A clear sign that ownership structure affects editorial integrity. More scrutiny and support for ethical journalism is urgently needed. 🔥

PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 27

Key violations included:
– 📉 37% of articles plagiarised
– 😶 13% misused anonymous sources
– 📢 9.7% were sensationalist
– ⚖️ 9.4% ignored presumption of innocence
– 🧨 Most hate/discrimination content came from corporate-owned media

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 27

CMEM analysed nearly 2,000 articles from 40 online media outlets between Feb–May 2025. Most outlets were privately owned by businesspeople or journalists. #NorthMacedonia #MediaEthics

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 27

#NorthMacedonia: Private online media are responsible for the most journalism ethics violations - from plagiarism to sensationalism & misuse of anonymous sources.

Not-for-profit outlets performed better. What does this say about media accountability? 🧵

www.presscouncils.eu/ethics-breac...

Ethics Breaches Most Common in North Macedonia’s Private Online Media

In North Macedonia, where media independence is often undermined by political and corporate interests, the Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia (CMEM) ...

www.presscouncils.eu

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 20

👀 Keep an eye out on this space - more updates coming soon!

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 20

And finally, @deontoloj.bsky.social developed a database comparing mediation processes of European media councils.

Check it out! 👉 www.presscouncils.eu/comparative-...

Mediation Process

Mediation Process Mediation, in the specific case of press and media councils, represents the process of seeking an alternative solution between both ...

www.presscouncils.eu

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 20

The Austrian Press Council, @presserat.bsky.social, toured around Europe to give media literacy classes to students from Helsinki to Barcelona ✈️

www.presscouncils.eu/austrian-pre...

Austrian Press Council ended media literacy tour around Europe

The Austrian Press Council embarked on a journey around Europe to spread media literacy to students aged 16 - 18 years old. The purpose was to raise ...

www.presscouncils.eu

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 20

The EFJ also organised a high-level European conference on self-regulation and regulation in the media sector, where the media community reached a consensus on the need for multi-stakeholder dialogue as countries implement recent EU media legislations.

www.presscouncils.eu/building-tru...

Building trust in the digital age: EFJ conference unites stakeholders on media regulation and self-regulation

On Monday 14th October, the media community reached a consensus on the need for multi-stakeholder dialogue as countries implement recent EU media ...

www.presscouncils.eu

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 20

Thanks to funding from @efjeurope.bsky.social, Ukrainian press council Commission of Journalistic Ethics held an international conference on the interaction between self-regulation and co-regulation in Ukrainian media, reacting to a new #medialaw in Ukraine 👇

www.presscouncils.eu/commission-o...

Commission on Journalistic Ethics held an international conference on the interaction between self-regulation and co-regulation in Ukrainian media

On 10 December 2024, more than 90 participants discussed via Zoom the development of cooperation between self-regulation and co-regulation bodies in ...

www.presscouncils.eu

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PressCouncilsEU @presscouncilseu.bsky.social · Jun 20

Ghent University analysed 333 decisions by nine media councils to understand how journalistic ethics and values are interpreted and applied by different press councils in Europe 🌍

www.presscouncils.eu/complaints-t...

Complaints to European media councils are mostly about lack of truth in the news

Ghent University analysed 333 decisions by nine media councils to understand how journalistic ethics and values are interpreted and applied by different ...

www.presscouncils.eu

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