OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media meets with Ambassador of United Kingdom

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met on 8 February 2021, with Ambassador Neil Bush to discuss media freedom developments in the UK and the OSCE region.

Ribeiro and Bush spoke about the safety of journalists and the underlying phenomenon of the declining value of journalism and delegitimization of institutions.  Bush mentioned the fact that the UK National Committee for the Safety of Journalists is drafting a national action plan on the safety of journalists.

They also discussed the many aspects of disinformation, including the increasing demand for quality information and the need for increased media literacy as a long-term solution. They agreed that disinformation cannot be fought by further limiting the space for free speech. Instead, a pluralistic, vibrant media landscape is very much needed.

Ribeiro and Bush agreed that ensuring a pluralistic media landscape requires a multilateral approach and that identifying media freedom trends is an important element of the RFoM’s early warning task.