{"id":17251,"date":"2025-10-08T09:28:16","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T09:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/presscouncil-ks.org\/?p=17251"},"modified":"2025-10-21T10:55:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T10:55:10","slug":"defending-free-expression-amid-global-decline-journalism-must-reconnect-with-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/presscouncil-ks.org\/?p=17251&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Defending free expression amid global decline: \u2018Journalism must reconnect with people\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Journalists and experts from the Western Balkans and Turkey explored the challenges confronting the media and discussed potential solutions to strengthen journalism.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Written by: Volga Kuscuoglu\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the “Our Media<\/a>” conference held in Sarajevo on Oct 2-3, organized by the South East European Network for Professionalization of the Media (SEENPM) and Mediacentar Sarajevo, NGO representatives and media workers from Western Balkan countries and Turkey gathered to discuss the state of press freedom and the evolving threats to journalism.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The first panel of the conference addressed the erosion of democratic institutions, the decline of public trust in the media, and strategies to protect independent journalism and the second panel discussed the future of the profession.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moderated by Hungarian journalist Attila Mong<\/strong>, the Europe representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the first panel featured Brankica Petkovi\u0107<\/strong> from the Peace Institute Slovenia, Sarah Clarke<\/strong> from IFEX, and Erol \u00d6ndero\u011flu<\/strong>, the Turkey representative for Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and bianet\u2019s freedom of expression advisor.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

\u2018Between d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu and PTSD\u2019<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Opening the session titled \u201cHolding the lines for freedom of expression,” Mong recalled the early days of media repression in Hungary in the 2010s, when public radio protested the passing of controversial legislation under Viktor Orb\u00e1n\u2019s government with a symbolic minute of silence. \u201cAt the time, little did I know what would happen,\u201d he said. \u201cBut for us journalists, it showed clearly that these days there is a threat to what we are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reflecting on how similar repression is now appearing in western countries, Mong said, \u201cIt was like a surreal experience for me actually to talk about my experiences to my US colleagues for whom it was kind of an eye opening talk that this is happening to us,\u201d describing his feelings as \u201cbetween \u00a0d\u00e9j\u00e0\u00a0vu and PTSD\u201d in reference to a quote from Philippine journalist Maria Ressa.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, Mong<\/strong> added,\u00a0 \u201cMaybe Hungary’s example shows that it will take long, but the societies will in the end realize what’s happening and may try to reclaim their rights, because that’s what’s happening in Hungary.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Erol \u00d6ndero\u011flu, Brankica Petkovi\u0107, Attila Mong<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Joining remotely, Sarah Clarke<\/strong>, who represented IFEX, a network of over 100 organizations in 70 countries, said most of those countries are moving in a negative direction in terms of freedom of expression.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She said the US administration contributed to this decline by suspending USAID, arguing that the cut was a major factor in the weakening of independent media around the world. \u201cWhile always hypocritical, the US did support media freedom to some extent. That\u2019s now gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In a parallel comment to Mong\u2019s, she remarked, \u201cAnd we now see that the playbook of autocracy and media freedom borrowed from Hungary, from the Philippines, from Brazil, enacted with enormous speed [in the US].\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Clarke also underlined how Gaza has laid bare Western double standards. \u201cIt exposed the hypocrisy of many Western governments in terms of freedom of expression at home,\u201d she said, noting the silencing of dissent and protest. \u201cThe failure to act in the face of genocide has exposed so many key issues, especially trust in media.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the technological front, she raised concern over the power of Big Tech and misinformation. \u201cThe EU has made some efforts, but tech companies are resisting regulation fiercely,\u201d she noted. Still, she offered hope: \u201cNo one believed 10 years ago that Rappler would survive and Duterte would be at the ICC. But that happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Sarah Clarke<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/h3>\n

\u2018The danger is not in suppression but in fake pluralism\u2019<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brankica Petkovi\u0107<\/strong> provided a structural critique, drawing on findings from SEENPM\u2019s Future of Media research and MEDIADEM, a research project run by the European Commission on media policy-making processes in EU member states and candidate countries. \u201cFreedom of expression remains contested, not just in the so-called fragile democracies but increasingly everywhere,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The most alarming trend, she argued, is not direct censorship but the systematic undermining of freedom of expression. \u201cIlliberal regimes no longer censor. They flood the space with hate narratives and organized lying. They produce fake pluralism,\u201d she warned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One aspect of this trend is \u201cparadoxical growth,\u201d she said, explaining based on the SEENPM research that \u201cWe have new and new media in our region. At the same time, a sharp decline in journalism students and shrinking professional class. This mismatch suggests a media landscape growing in quantity, but not in quality and sustainability, often dominated by political economic capture.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the face of this landscape, Petkovi\u0107 urged the independent media to shift towards community-based media models instead of relying heavily on donors. \u201cDoing research for decades, I\u2019ve always repeated: citizens, citizens, citizens. We look too much to Brussels, to our donors,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Research shows that citizens\u2019 participation can rebuild trust in the media, which has been on a steep decline, she noted, adding, \u201cHolding the line for media freedom takes shared effort. What we urgently need are joined up strategies to rebuild trust, to invest in media literacy, to empower citizens through media literacy, and above all, to create spaces where citizens are not just media consumers, but co creators of democratic culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Meanwhile in Turkey<\/h3>\n

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Erol \u00d6ndero\u011flu<\/strong> provided a snapshot of the media environment in Turkey in the light of recent political developments.<\/p>\n

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Although Ankara appears to be an active diplomatic player and regional power that is also working to resolve its Kurdish problem, \u00d6ndero\u011flu said, it is simultaneously dismantling internal democratic institutions. \u201cThe government is reconciling with the Kurdish movement while simultaneously jailing opposition politicians and journalists. This contradiction makes it hard to believe they are serious about democratic reform.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He described the independent media as being in a \u201cstate of survival,\u201d with such outlets and civil society organizations fighting to stay afloat. \u201cEach week, I spend two days at the courthouse, attending at least a dozen journalist trials. That\u2019s my routine,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the other hand, more than 85% of national corporate media is controlled by the government, he said. \u201cTheir aim is to dominate the national narrative entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Another challenge facing Turkey\u2019s independent media is algorithm changes made by Google, a major traffic source for news sites, \u00d6ndero\u011flu said, noting that some outlets were forced to close in early 2025 due to reduced traffic and advertising revenue in absence of international funds.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThose still operational have launched a wide scale of call for readers to contribute to their budget,\u201d he added. \u201cCitizen-based development is very important.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The session closed with comments and questions from the audience. One attendant argued that the main danger to free expression today may not be hate speech, but \u201cfake speech,\u201d describing this as a toxic cocktail of \u201cfake news, conspiracy theories, and government propaganda,\u201d \u0131n parallel to Petkovi\u0107\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n

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In the face of this, \u201cPeople are escaping public debate,\u201d she said. \u201cThey don\u2019t want to be crucified or demonized online.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

‘What future for journalism?\u2019<\/h3>\n

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After the first panel, which offered an overview of the media landscape in the Western Balkans and Turkey, the second one focused on the future of journalism in the region.<\/p>\n

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The panel titled \u201cFuture of journalism in Western Balkans and Turkey \u2013 What future?\u201d moderated by Remzi Lani<\/strong> from the Albanian Media Institute, included Sinem Ayd\u0131nl\u0131<\/strong>, Bianet’s research coordinator; Zaneta Trajkoska<\/strong> from North Macedonia’s Institute of Communication Studies; Helena Milinkovi\u0107,<\/strong> coordinator of the RTV Journalists Union in Slovenia; and Lejla Tur\u010dilo<\/strong>, a faculty member at Sarajevo University.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Sinem Ayd\u0131nl\u0131, Zaneta Trajkoska, Remzi Lani, Lejla Tur\u010dilo, Helena Milinkovi\u0107<\/figcaption>

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\u2018Journalism must evolve or die\u2019<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Zaneta Trajkoska<\/strong> offered a critique of the region\u2019s journalistic inertia. \u201cOur profession is still clinging to traditional models,\u201d she said. \u201cMeanwhile, influencers and political parties have taken over the role of news providers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to change our formats, approaches, and understand our audience better, especially the youth,\u201d she said and warned that without this shift, journalism risks becoming irrelevant: \u201cIf we don\u2019t change, nobody will read, listen, or watch us.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI’m saying this is because I believe that journalists, not just in Macedonia, but in the region as well, are a little bit passive,\u201d she explained. \u201cThings are happening around us, but we are just keeping more traditional roles and models of journalism. Now our profession is led, for example, by influencers and bloggers who were at the press conference of Trump.\u201d<\/figure>\n

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SEENPM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Also emphasizing the need for cooperation between academia, media, and civil society, Trajkoska said, \u201cWe\u2019ve all been working in our own bubbles.\u201d she said, calling for collective effort without waiting for donor support.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Trajkoska urged the sector to reclaim its space from political actors. \u201cParties are now their own media houses\u2014they have podcasts, social media channels, field interviews. They\u2019ve taken our place. They\u2019re setting the media\u2019s agenda,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo they took our role in society. So we need to do something to bring back that and to enter into the political world and create chaos as they created in our world\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Trajkoska closed by highlighting youth engagement as the most vital pathway to revival. \u201cIf we keep ignoring them, we lose our future audience.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

\u2018No one survives alone\u2019<\/h3>\n

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Helena Milinkovi\u0107<\/strong> shared the story of Slovenian journalists\u2019 two-year struggle against the state capture of public media under former Prime Minister Janez Jan\u0161a. Citing their eventual success, she emphasized the importance of building solidarity networks between journalists and the public.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt started in 2020 when the government blocked funding to the Slovenian Press Agency. We knew RTV would be next,\u201d she said, referring to the country\u2019s public broadcaster.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rather than retreat, Milinkovi\u0107 and her colleagues built broad alliances across unions, civil society, and academia. \u201cNo one survives alone. You must mobilize your allies,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe even rewrote the law during the strike. And we won a historic referendum\u201470% voted for our proposal,\u201d she recalled. \u201cThis shows the public will support you if you speak with them, not at them.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEven the European Media Freedom act was adopted because of us. I’m proud that it started in Slovenia,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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SEENPM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe field is becoming more and more dangerous for everybody. So we have to support each other. And this is the reality that journalists today have no other choice but to work amid increasing harassment, intimidation, surveillance and risk to their lives and livelihoods. That’s why we have to build safety networks.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Milinkovi\u0107 urged others facing authoritarian pressure to study their opponents and expose them: \u201cUse your skills as journalists. Research your enemies. Shame them. If you’re too intimidated, find someone respected to speak for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd don\u2019t underestimate the public,\u201d she said, adding, \u201cWe always think we are the smartest. No, they know a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

\u2018Reconnecting with people\u2019<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bringing the educational perspective, Lejla Tur\u010dilo<\/strong> highlighted the generational disconnect in journalism. She recounted a student asking, \u201cWill journalism survive until we finish our studies?\u201d and another asking, \u201cWhat\u2019s in it for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThese students live in a world of influencers and podcasts, not newspapers and press clubs,\u201d she said. Yet, despite skepticism, they still believe in journalism\u2019s core values. \u201cThey want to be the voice of the voiceless and watchdogs of the system.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tur\u010dilo lamented the dire working conditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where journalist salaries can be as low as 330 euros per month.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOnly 10% of journalists earn more than 900 euros. It\u2019s unsustainable,\u201d she said. As a result, most students migrate toward public relations or communications. \u201cLife is too short to try to change Bosnia through journalism,\u201d she said, quoting one student.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Still, she found hope in the stories submitted for an investigative journalism award. \u201cMany were not about politics but about real people\u2014stories of human lives, human rights, and environmental problems,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s where journalism can reconnect with society\u2014by making public interest interesting again for the people.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe future of journalism is the future of stories of voiceless, the stories of the ordinary people and stories about lives of the people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

\u2018Media in Turkey is under siege\u2019<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sinem Ayd\u0131nl\u0131<\/strong> provided a detailed picture of press conditions in Turkey. “Media in Turkey is under siege from powerful political and economic structures,” she said, citing prosecutions of journalists, arbitrary detentions, and intensifying censorship.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFreedom of expression is severely restricted, the economic sustainability of journalism is weakening and the public trust is declining every year,\u201d she remarked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ayd\u0131nl\u0131 shared data from bianet’s Media Monitoring Reports, revealing that 25 journalists and five media outlets were physically attacked and 82 were threatened in 2024 alone.<\/p>\n

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She described how even reporting on police violence, such as during the detention of \u0130stanbul Mayor Ekrem \u0130mamo\u011flu in March, can result in journalists being jailed under the law on demonstrations. \u201cJust last week, bianet\u2019s tweets about \u0130mamo\u011flu\u2019s detention were blocked by court order,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another tool used to restrict media freedom is bandwidth throttling, which is applied to social media and messaging platforms during sensitive periods, such as the protests that erupted after \u0130mamo\u011flu\u2019s detention, she noted. This measure effectively makes it impossible to access those platforms.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Economic conditions are also dire for journalists, Ayd\u0131nl\u0131 noted. \u201cMany local reporters don\u2019t even make minimum wage,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With unionization rates below the national average, she said that journalism students are turning away from the field, viewing it as \u201ccriminalized, risky, and poorly paid.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The polarized media landscape in Turkey remains a major issue,\u201d she remarked. \u201cOn one side, there are pro-government outlets; on the other, anti-government outlets producing equally polarized counter-narratives. In between, only a few truly independent media organizations\u2014such as bnf\u2014are striving to remain free from all centers of power. This polarization fuels widespread distrust and raises serious ethical concerns.”<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Rebuilding trust<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moderator Remzi Lani concluded by reflecting on how the media landscape has shifted from a vertical system of broadcasting to a horizontal world of shared content. \u201cFrom transmit to share,\u201d he said, noting the erosion of institutional trust and the rise of disinformation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lani identified three existential challenges: adapting to a decentralized media system, navigating artificial intelligence, and developing sustainable business models. \u201cIf journalism is flooded by AI and disinformation, democracy itself is at risk,\u201d he remarked. (VK)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The regional program \u201cOur Media<\/strong>: A civil society action to generate media literacy and activism, counter polarisation and promote dialogue\u201d is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by partner organizations\u00a0<\/em>SEENPM<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>Albanian Media Institute<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>Mediacentar Sarajevo<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>Press Council of Kosovo<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>Montenegrin Media Institute<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>Macedonian Institute for Media<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>Novi Sad School of Journalism<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>Peace Institute<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>Bianet<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This article was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of bianet and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Co-funded by:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Journalists and experts from the Western Balkans and Turkey explored the challenges confronting the media and discussed potential solutions to strengthen journalism.   Written by: Volga Kuscuoglu\u00a0   At the “Our Media” conference held in Sarajevo on Oct 2-3, organized by the South East European Network for Professionalization of the Media (SEENPM) and Mediacentar Sarajevo, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDefending free expression amid global decline: \u2018Journalism must reconnect with people\u2019 - K\u00ebshilli i Mediave t\u00eb Shkruara t\u00eb Kosov\u00ebs | P\u00ebr nj\u00eb gazetari etike dhe profesionale<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/presscouncil-ks.org\/?p=17251&lang=en\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Defending free expression amid global decline: \u2018Journalism must reconnect with people\u2019 - 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