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Media freedom in Italy has been steadily declining in recent years, says a new report.
This, it claims, is marked by “unprecedented attacks and violations often initiated by public officials in an attempt to silence critical voices.”
The claims are made by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) which has just published its mission report on the findings of what it calls its urgent mission to Italy on 16-17 May and MFRR’s ongoing monitoring.
A report on the fact finding mission says, “Political interference in public media and the systematic use of legal intimidation against journalists by political actors have long defined the media-politics relationship in Italy.”
“However, these dynamics have reached alarming levels over the past two years.”
The Media Freedom Rapid Response published its final report of the advocacy mission that took place in Rome.
Public service independence, legal threats, conflicts of interest and market concentration are the main themes
The mission took place in the lead-up to the 2024 EU elections, amidst what it calls a rapidly deteriorating context.
It says alleged political interference in public media, legal harassment of dissenting journalists and the possible takeover of AGI, one of the country’s main news agencies, were the main issues addressed.
The report provides fact finding elements and a section for recommendations.
The mission aimed to engage with state representatives, institutions, and political parties on three critical issues: political interference in public media, legal harassment of dissenting journalists, and the potential acquisition of AGI.
This report offers, it says, a “comprehensive analysis of the three most urgent issues identified.”
It evaluates the impact of various measures and bills introduced by Italian decision-makers, in light of the latest EU provisions aimed at ensuring the independence of public media, countering market concentration, addressing conflicts of interest, and equipping the judiciary to handle vexatious lawsuits.
The report also provides detailed recommendations for Italian institutional and governmental actors, outlining necessary steps to counter the decline in media freedom and much-needed reforms.
