This is the second EMFA Talk dedicated to Article 5 (Safeguards for the independent functioning of public service media providers). While the first session mainly focused on the provision’s role in protecting public media organisations from undue political and financial pressures, this upcoming session will take a more practical turn.

It will examine the current state of compliance with Article 5 across EU Member States to identify the most pressing issues and the next steps for implementation at a national level. Preliminary findings from the forthcoming Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM) are expected to show how countries align with the standards for public service media (PSM) independence.

While some states are likely to already broadly adhere to EMFA objectives, though they may still require adjustments, particularly regarding funding predictability and transparency in appointment procedures, others, such as Italy, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Spain, are expected to face more serious structural challenges, such as politically dominated appointment processes, short board mandates, and abrupt governance changes — all of which may raise concerns about compliance with EMFA standards, especially in safeguarding editorial autonomy and enabling long-term strategic planning.

This 90-minute talk will feature Judit Bayer, Budapest University of Economics and Business, Josef Lusser, member of the Legal and Policy Committee of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Director of International Relations of ORF; Giulio Enea Vigevani, Università di Milano-Bicocca, and Renate Schroeder, European Federation of Journalists.

Pier Luigi Parcu, Director of the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) of the European University Institute, will moderate the conversation.