The Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) has launched a new project to evaluate the feasibility of a European News Streaming Platform (ENSP). This AI-assisted, multilingual platform would be free and accessible to all EU citizens, aiming to enhance their access to quality, independent media. A team of six academics at the CMPF is leading the research, focusing on the platform’s legal and economic viability.
Building on the Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) study, the project seeks to provide policy recommendations for improving access to information in EU citizens’ native languages, including minority languages, and for promoting media pluralism and a stronger European public discourse.
“To evaluate the benefits of a European streaming platform, we need a clear understanding of Europe’s current media landscape and the quality of content available to EU citizens. This knowledge will help us identify how such a platform could fill existing gaps or improve the media ecosystem, ultimately supporting greater media diversity across the EU.”, explains one of the lead researchers, Konrad Bleyer-Simon.
The team —involving Pier Luigi Parcu, Elda Brogi, Konrad Bleyer-Simon, Jan Erik Kermer, Roberta Carlini, and Danielle Borges— will work over ten months to produce a comprehensive report, which they will present at the European Parliament in Strasbourg this Spring. The report will include five pillars that will draw upon a detailed literature review, insights from the Media Pluralism Monitor, expert interviews, and policy discussions on media pluralism, technology, and multilingual public spaces.
The first pillar will examine the availability of quality, independent media content in EU citizens’ languages, including minority ones. The second will focus on the ENSP’s effectiveness in meeting these goals. A third section will assess the platform’s legal and regulatory feasibility. Finally, the fourth will identify technical, legal, editorial, economic, and societal challenges and opportunities, while the fifth will present policy options for policymakers and stakeholders.
Researchers will not only explore the platform’s potential in terms of enhancing the quality and plurality of the media offer, and thus democracy, but they will also study its normative added-value in terms of fostering European identity. Indeed, political communication and media scholars have long emphasized the importance of establishing a shared European public sphere to promote common norms, values, culture, and identity, which are crucial for advancing European integration.
Moreover, this platform would not only foster better-informed publics, but it could also serve as an optimal resource for learning new languages, further strengthening cultural and societal bonds across the EU.
The project is funded by the European Parliament.