In comments to mark the 60th anniversary of the Eurovision News Exchange (EVN), Director General of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Noel Curran said the need for public service media had never been greater than at a time when it seemed the continent’s enthusiasm for democracy was in decline.
Mr Curran (pictured) was launching the new EBU report Democracy and Public Service Media, showing that democracy had declined in two thirds of EBU member countries with citizens turning away from politics and public life.
“The report demonstrates how strong and well-funded public service media (PSM) goes hand-in-hand with a nation’s democratic health,” Mr Curran said.
“Anyone can ‘report’ breaking news by uploading footage and gaining a global audience in seconds,” he said.
“This has transformed news consumption, but brings with it a prevalence of misinformation and deliberate fake news.”
Mr Curran said the results could have dreadful repercussions for stable, elective democracies.
The Director General pointed to the collaboration of the EBU with 10 public service broadcasters to launch an innovative new service, A European Perspective, in July.
“This digital news initiative curates and shares stories from public service media across the continent, using cutting-edge translation and recommendation tools to translate stories into different languages, breaking down geographic barriers,” he said.
“Now even more citizens can participate in world events, see how other countries are experiencing the challenges of our times, and benefit from a range of perspectives in the best tradition of the EVN and anathema to polarisation and authoritarian regimes.”
Mr Curran said investment in public service news was an investment in democracy.
“From the beginnings of the EVN in 1961 to innovative and transformational digital news services, public service media has been promoting core news values — independence, accuracy, transparent and trusted journalism, the free flow of information and ideas,” he said.
“These values must be protected at all costs. Our democracies depend on it,” Mr Curran said.
Geneva, 24 September 2021
