Activities of Łukasz KOHUT related to 2020/2009(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on Strengthening Media Freedom: the Protection of Journalists in Europe, Hate Speech, Disinformation and the role of Platforms
Amendments (10)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that in order to fight against disinformation and fake news, reinstate a climate of trust in the media and counter threats to democratic political processes, a comprehensive EU strategy is needed, based inter alia on media and information literacy, and aimed at empowering citizens to critically assess media content and recognise the difference between opinion and fact; calls therefore on the European Commission to develop such a strategy in close cooperation with the Member States and civil society organisations;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Underlines the crucial importance of independent journalism in sustaining media pluralism and transparency of the democratic process; calls on the Commission to include studies and courses on independent journalism in appropriate EU funded projects and programmes;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that media pluralism is under serious threat both online and offline due to thee importance of ensuring online and offline media pluralism to guarantee the quality, diversity and reliability of the information available; warns against excessive concentration of media ownership, which has resulted in dominant actors in the media sector using information to pursue political and social objectives and in the lowering of the quality, diversity and reliability of the information available;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls the need for transparency of media ownership and its funding sources to be easily accessible to citizens so they can make an informed judgment about the information provided, as well as to reinstate a climate of trust in the media; in this context, media literacy plays an important role;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines its view that non- discriminatory, comprehensive and balanced media coverage is essential to a free and well-informed society in Europe; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote an inclusive media sphere in which more women, minorities, migrants and refugees, as well as members of LGBTI+ communities and people with disabilities, occupy creative and decision- making positions, which would in turn contribute to the reduction of stereotypes in media;
Amendment 47 #
5. Considers that in the fight against disinformation, the core principles of access to information and above all freedom of expression, including artistic freedom, should always prevail; highlights that decisions taken by media platforms – e.g. regarding their community standards or recommendation algorithms – have considerable consequences for the exercise of freedom of expression, right to receive impartial information, media freedom, pluralism and democracy;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Considers that any future EU mechanism on democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights must enshrine media freedom, including artistic freedom, as an essential pillar of a democratic system;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Recognises the right to artistic freedom and the need to highlight this in the context of the broader framework of fundamental freedoms and freedom of expression; calls on the Commission to include freedom of artistic expression among the specific objectives of Creative Europe 2021-2027;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights that national media, in particular public service media, have an important responsibility to adequately reflect the cultural, linguistic, social and political diversity and to inform citizens extensively about all topics that are relevant to their everyday lives, including EU policies and news.; notices that in some Member States this diversity has not been adequately reflected and that the media have not been providing adequate and objective information on the EU policies; insists on the need to remedy the situation;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Expresses serious concern about the situation in some Member States where media laws allowing for greater political interference have been introduced, resulting in media, public or private, being forced to abandon the principle of impartiality, which is supported by, inter alia, evidence from the Reporters Without Borders 2020 World Press Freedom Index; underlines that free and independent journalism must be guaranteed and safeguarded by proper regulatory frameworks;