In the current digital age, media governance is facing a number of challenges. In this interview, Professor Mercedes Medina of Navarra University offers expert insight into the role of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) and the importance of pluralism and transparency in new business models. She is one of the lead researchers on the “Resilient Media for Democracy in the Digital Age” (ReMeD) project, which is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme.
In this interview, she explores potential solutions to the crises in the journalism business models, the changes in media audiences and their impact.
What is the role of the European Media Freedom Act, which enters into force on 8 August 2025, for media governance and transparency?
The European Media Freedom Act aims to protect the integrity and independence of journalistic work from political and economic interference. It enforces greater transparency regarding media ownership and advertising content. In addition, it promotes more participatory governance models, where editorial leaders are involved in decision-making bodies.
These measures are well-founded and align with the professional standards already upheld by many media outlets, especially digital and alternative ones, which often embody these principles at their core.
However, as some professionals argue, the best press law is often the one that doesn’t exist. National governments are responsible for implementing these measures and developing monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. This, in turn, opens the door to potential government arbitrariness and the temptation of political control, which can undermine the independence of public administration.
In a context where media business models rely on social media, how can pluralism and transparency be guaranteed?
In this regard, social media platforms serve as distribution channels. Just as newspaper publishers once chose the best type of paper for printing, today’s media outlets must choose the platforms that best match their editorial approach. However, they must remember that they do not own these platforms, and unless specific agreements are reached, they will have to accept the rules set by those platforms.
The Media Pluralism Monitor’s 2025 report reveals a very poor situation in terms of the concentration of media ownership and distribution, which is increasingly concentrated in the hands of platforms…
This is undoubtedly one of the most serious challenges facing information today. The core issue is not just that platforms control distribution, but that many media leaders lack a journalistic vision. They see information either as a tool for control or as a commercial product, rather than as a vital service for citizens.
When information is not placed at the service of the public, it becomes a dangerous weapon—one that can dismantle hard-won freedoms and undermine the foundations of democracy.
How can the crisis in journalism’s economic models be addressed?
It’s time to face the issue directly and reconsider whether journalism can continue to function as a profit-based business. Perhaps it’s necessary to seek profitability in other activities that allow journalism to remain a public-interest endeavour.
Media companies need to clearly define their unique value proposition and how they meet the needs of their target audiences. Only then can they design revenue models that support the delivery of high-quality journalism.
How has the media audience changed in the past years, and how has this impacted media consumption?
This question could fill an entire book and is, in fact, the subject of the Digital News Report produced by the Reuters Institute in collaboration with universities worldwide. I will outline three key trends: audiences have fragmented and now turn to a wide variety of sources and formats for information; political polarisation and distrust in elites have led to growing disinterest and news fatigue, and the rise of digital technology, video, entertainment, and social media has trained audiences to give limited attention to news content.