Skip navigation

0Meta Navigation

× Close search

Navigation

Home Institutions & structures Representative on Freedom of the Media What we do
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

What we do

The Representative’s activities can be divided into two groups: observing media developments as part of an early warning function and helping participating States abide by their commitments to freedom of expression and free media. This includes efforts to ensure the safety of journalists; assist with the development of media pluralism; promote decriminalization of defamation; combat hate speech while preserving freedom of expression; provide expert opinions on media regulation and legislation; promote Internet freedom; and assist with the process of switching from analogue to digital broadcasting. The Representative also holds annual regional media conferences, bringing together journalists, representatives of civil society and government, as well as academics, to discuss current media freedom issues.
Decriminalization of defamation
Journalists should not face criminal charges for their work, but they do in many participating States, often for writing critical stories about public officials or institutions. The Representative advocates for the full decriminalization of defamation and the fair consideration of such cases in dispute-resolution bodies or civil courts.
Digital switchover
All OSCE participating States must switch from analogue to digital broadcasting by 2015. This transition creates tremendous opportunities for the free flow of information and a pluralistic media environment. The Representative supports the participating States and their media organizations with this process through training, the sharing of international expertise, conferences, and the publication of expert guidebooks.
Hate speech
While recognizing that speech that offends authorities is often mischaracterized as extremist or hate speech, the Representative supports participating States in countering all forms of expressions that spread, incite, promote or justify racial hatred, xenophobia, anti-Semitism or other forms of hatred based on intolerance in the media through awareness-raising projects, education and regular meetings with media outlets, editors and journalists.
Media freedom on the Internet
Human rights and essential freedom apply online and offline. Curtailing freedom of the media and expression on the Internet through filtering or other measures is unacceptable. The Representative advocates, in international conferences and through studies and legal reviews, for Internet freedom and intervenes through diplomatic channels and public statements whenever access to information online is limited.
Media laws
To help the participating States conform to their media freedom commitments, the Representative provides legal reviews on proposed media legislation, which include thorough analyses and recommendations of how the legislation might be amended to comply with international standards.
Media pluralism
The Representative regularly speaks up on attempts to restrict pluralism in broadcast, print, and online media. These restrictions can take various forms, from favouritism of state-owned media to pressure exercised over broadcasters or outright closure of media outlets. The Representative raises these issues with the States through diplomatic channels and public statements.
Media self-regulation
The Representative helps the media create or develop self-regulation mechanisms that are independent from government control and are designed to uphold the quality of media. These can take the forms of ethics codes, press and media councils, or complaints commissions and in-house ombudspersons. The Representative supports such initiatives through training, expert advice, international roundtable meetings, and the publication of expert guidebooks.
Safety of Journalists
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media monitors the safety of journalists, particularly in cases of physical attacks, incarceration and harassment. She responds quickly and directly with the participating States and other parties concerned through diplomatic channels and public statements. Aside from this, the Representative on Freedom of the Media also assists the participating States to further media freedom. In 2022, the Representative launched a new project. The aim of this project is to take stock of existing policies and measures in OSCE participating States to promote and ensure the safety of journalists, to identify persisting gaps and to develop recommendations based on good practice examples. The project consists of seven roundtables, each covering another aspect of the topic of safety of journalists: (1) data collection, analysis and reporting on attacks and violence against journalists and promotion of journalistic work; (2) secure working conditions; (3) safety of journalists in conflict situations; (4) intersectional perspectives; (5) digital safety; (6) legal harassment; (7) police prevention and fight against impunity.