18/01/2023 (Agence Europe) – The European Federation of Journalists believes that the ‘Media Freedom Act’ needs a series of “urgent amendments”, to “fulfil its proclaimed promises” (see EUROPE 13099/15). In its position, published on Tuesday 17 January, it calls on the EU Council and the European Parliament to strengthen the protection of sources and editorial independence of journalists, including freelancers. It also calls for binding and harmonised rules on transparency of media ownership, saying that such data should be “fully publicly and freely accessible on a Europe-wide database”. The Federation also believes that the independence of national media regulators and the new European Board for Media Services should be further guaranteed. Finally, it advocates the inclusion of civil society in the assessment of the public interest of a media merger. To read the position: https://aeur.eu/f/4xs (HS)