An independent tool to monitor media pluralism in EU Member States

1. Media Pluralism Monitor
Pilot test implementation
2013-2014
Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom
Brussels
17 December 2013

2. Context and general overview
Structure of the monitor
Goals
Methodology

3. Context and general view: the 3 steps approach
Freedom and pluralism of the media are key elements for safeguarding
the exercise of freedom of expression, an essential pillar of EU.
The EU Commission launched in 2007 a three-step approach, presented
by Commissioner Reding and Vice-president Wallström, to safeguard and
reinforce media pluralism in the EU:
1. A commission Staff Working Paper on media Pluralism
2. An independent study on media pluralism in EU Member States
3. A Commission Communication on the indicators for media pluralism
in the EU Member States (abandoned)

4. Context and general view: the MPM
The Independent Study on Indicators for Media Pluralism in
the Member States – Towards a Risk-Based Approach was
issued in 2009 by three major universities K.U.Leuven – ICRI
(lead contractor), Jönköping International Business School –
MMTC and Central European University – CMCS, with the
technical support of Ernst & Young Consultancy Belgium

5. Context and general view: competencies
A key issue regarding media pluralism is the question of
competencies between European Union and single Member
States
Also the MPM raises the question of competencies: if there is
a risk for pluralism who should intervene?
In 2012, the Commission asked to the CMPF to realise a policy
report on EU Competencies with respect of media pluralism

6. Structure of the MPM: the indicators
-The MPM is not a therapy, it is a diagnosis
- it is neutral, holistic and comprehensive, objective, EUstandardised, evolved, practical and user friendly tool;
-Risk based approach, scored on basis of 3 border values:
red light: need for action
orange light : medium risk, attention point
Green light: no need for action

7. Structure of the MPM: the indicators
The Study features 166 indicators measuring 43 different risks, grouped
in 6 risk domains.
The indicators are divided into three different types: legal, economic
and socio-demographic
Indicators
Risk domain
Basic domain
Pluralism and Media Ownership&Control
Pluralism of Media Types and Genres
Political Pluralism in the Media
Cultural Pluralism in the Media
Geographical Pluralism in the Media
Total
Risks
3
10
6
8
10
6
43
Total
11
28
21
37
44
25
166
Legal
Economic
11
13
7
16
13
7
67
0
15
12
0
6
6
39
SocioIndicators
demogr. numbering
0
1-11
0
81-108
2 146-166
21 109-145
25
12-55
12
56-80
60
1-166

8. Structure of the MPM: the indicators (areas)
Risks are also divided into 3 different areas, representing the “traditional value
chain”: supply, distribution, use.
Indicators
Risk domain
Basic domain
Pluralism and Media Ownership&Control
Pluralism of Media Types and Genres
Political Pluralism in the Media
Cultural Pluralism in the Media
Geographical Pluralism in the Media
Total
Risks
3
10
6
8
10
6
43
Total
11
28
21
37
44
25
166
Supply
10
20
15
32
40
17
134
Distribution
0
8
3
3
2
5
21
Use
1
0
3
2
2
3
11
Indicators
numbering
1-11
81-108
146-166
109-145
12-55
56-80
1-166

9. Structure: the risk domains
Basic domain
Free speech, independent supervision, media literacy
Pluralism of
media ownership
/ control
Concentration in audience and resources in several media
markets (radio, TV, press, internet…), concentration in
cross-media ownership, vertical integration, ownership
transparency
Pluralism of
media types
Financial and audience parity, public interest channels,
public access to content. Resources to support diversity of
media. Resources to support PSM

10. Structure: the risk domains
Cultural pluralism
Political pluralism
Geographical
pluralism
Representation of European, national, world cultures,
Representation of cultural and social groups,
Representation of minorities and communities
Political bias in media (during election campaigns);
Politicisation of media ownership; Editorial independence;
(In)dependence of PSM and news services; Pluralism of
distribution systems; Citizen activity in online media
Centralisation of national media systems, local and regional
media; Representation of local and regional communities;
number of information sources for local issues, access to media
and distribution systems

11. Structure: the results
RISK PROFILE PLURALISM OF OWNERSHIP & CONTROL: INDICATORS PER RISK
O1.1
O10.2
4
O1.2
O10.1
O1 High ownership concentration in terrestrial
television
O2 High ownership concentration in radio
O1.3
4
O9.2
O2.1
3
O9.1
O2.2
3
O3 High ownership concentration in newspapers
2
O8.3
O2.3
2
O8.2
O3.1
1
1
O8.1
O3.2
0
O7.3
O3.3
O7.2
O4.1
O4 High ownership concentration in
Cable/Sat/ADSL/TV
O5 High ownership concentration in magazines
O6 High ownership concentration in internet
content provision
O7 High ownership concentration in book
publishing
O8 High concentration of cross-media ownership
O9 High vertical concentration
O10 Intransparency in ownership structures
HIGH RISK
O7.1
O4.2
MODERATE RISK
O6.3
O4.3
LOW RISK
O6.2
O5.1
O6.1
O5.2
O5.3
SCORE

12. Goals: pilot test implementation
The CMPF has been granted by the European Commission to conduct a
pilot test implementation of the Media Pluralism Monitor.
The pilot test implementation will be held in nine EU countries.
The project started in September 2013 and will run until August 2014.
The results will be discussed with the European Commission and publicly
The pilot test implementation aims at creating the conditions for a full
implementation in all 28 Member States.
The Centre will also work to make the MPM a permanent tool

13. Goals: simplification
The pilot test implementation will help to clarify
whether some of the indicators can show some
problems in their practical application.
In particular, the pilot test implementation will try to
understand if it is possible to narrow the focus of the
MPM only (or mainly) on news and information

14. Goals: update
A specific work will be done to update the MPM in
particular respect of the area of internet. Although
the internet was of course already included in the
Study, recent developments of social media and of
portable and mobile devices requires an in-depth
analysis of the impact of these technologies on media
pluralism

15. Methodology: preliminary simplification
The CMPF will carry out a preliminary simplification of the
MPM.
-definition of the scope of the MPM
-simplification of some indicator according to “external and
objective criteria” (time/cost framework for assessing the
indicator and time/cost limits of the project)

16. Methodology: the choice of the countries
The CMPF proposed to the European Commission a selection
of 9 countries where to conduct the pilot test
implementation. The selection was carefully elaborated
following some objective criteria:
- Population
- Economic condition (GDP per capita)
- Geopolitical position (according to Hallin/Mancini
definitions
- Level of attention of the European institutions (EP
resolutions/hearings/particular national cases)

17. Methodology: operationalisation
The selected countries are:
Belgium
Bulgaria
Denmark
Estonia
France
Greece
Hungary
Italy
UK

18. Methodology: fieldwork
To operate in every single country, the CMPF will rely on the
expertise of local institutions: universities, NGOs, media
consulting companies .
Independence and impartiality criteria will be adopted to
avoid interferences and guarantee the maximum level of
objectivity and reliability.
A workshop to train the local experts will be organised in
Florence in March 2014.

19. Methodology: sources
A particularly important aspect will be the selection of the sources in
order to guarantee the highest accuracy of the data that will be
gathered.
National regulation authorities will represent a primary source of data. A
possibility is to contact regulators through their platform, EPRA.
The European Commission and Eurostat databases will also be used as a
primary source of information to collect data.
The European Audiovisual Observatory will be used both to gather
primary information and to doublecheck the data gathered from other
sources
Permanent exchange with stakeholders (a specific meeting in Brussels?)

20. Thanks
For further information:
Cmpf.eui.eu
cmpf@eui.eu
elda.brogi@eui.eu