Media capture by national governments—along with the takeover of regulatory bodies and the branding of critical journalists as foreign agents—is increasingly being used in parts of Europe to silence independent voices. This was the focus of the Press Under Pressure panel held in Bratislava in April 2025, part of the World Between the Lines festival, organized with The Eastern Frontier Initiative (TEFI).
The discussion brought together leading voices in media freedom: Beata Balogová, editor-in-chief of the Slovak daily Sme; Marius Dragomir, director of the Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC); and Tamás Bodoky, founder and director of Hungary’s investigative outlet Atlatszo.
In her article for The Slovak Spectator, journalist Michaela Terenzani summarized key takeaways from the panel, including highlights from several recent MJRC and International Press Institute (IPI) reports. The reports look at how the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) is expected to be rolled out in seven countries across the continent. Their message is clear: defending media freedom won’t happen without coordinated efforts—both from within the industry and with the backing of the public.
As Marius Dragomir put it during the event:
“If you do not lose the audience, you have a chance to fight back.”
You can read Michaela Terenzani’s full article here.