OSCE Media Freedom Representative concludes official visit to the United Kingdom
VIENNA, 23 October 2023 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, concluded a two-day official visit to London. During her visit, she engaged in a series of productive meetings with various stakeholders, including Sir John Whittingdale, Minister of State for the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, Lord Christopher Bellamy KC, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice, Christian Rogg, Director for Development and Open Societies, and members of Parliament, including Vice Chairs of All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Media Freedom issues. The primary focus of these discussions was to address both current and emerging challenges to media freedom across the OSCE region, including discussions on the situation in the United Kingdom.
One of the central topics of conversation during Ribeiro's visit was the safety of journalists, including the United Kingdom's national action plan. The discussions also touched upon the ongoing efforts within the UK to combat legal harassment and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) through a set of anti-SLAPP measures.
"The use of SLAPPs to shut down acts of public participation is a growing concern globally. However, the UK, and more specifically London, has unfortunately been a leading jurisdiction for domestic and transnational SLAPP cases against journalists. I raised this in my ministerial meetings, and very much welcome the UK's ongoing efforts to address this phenomenon by setting up a multi-stakeholder Taskforce, adopting legislative amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill, as well as strengthening regulatory enforcement and oversight. The UK has an opportunity to become a leading example in the OSCE region with a first nationwide anti-SLAPPs law that can truly protect investigative journalism," Teresa Ribeiro said.
During her meeting with Ofcom, UK’s media regulator, Ribeiro recognized the pivotal role they play in today's dynamic media landscape, highlighting the importance of enforcing the Online Safety Bill in line with media freedom standards and commending Ofcom's expertise in media regulation. She welcomed Ofcom's new role in regulating online platforms to preserve media diversity, promote public interest content, and tackle online harms. Ribeiro also mentioned her office's independent legal review of the bill's implementation and expressed a willingness to support the UK while advocating for best practices within the OSCE region. Additionally, she addressed the growing impact of artificial intelligence on media and the need to proactively address its comprehensive effects.
Additionally, the Representative conducted two roundtable discussions—one with senior NGO representatives on media freedom in the UK and another with leading academic scholars to explore the intricate connections between media freedom, democracy, and security.
Teresa Ribeiro expressed her appreciation for the open and constructive dialogues during her visit and reiterated the importance of protecting media freedom as a cornerstone of democratic societies.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.