Biden Democracy Summit: To protect democracy we have to fight harder to protect the media

This week, US President Joe Biden convenes a two day “Summit of Democracy”, which will bring together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action.

The lifeblood of democracy is a free media. Without independent and accurate media politicians cannot be held accountable for their actions and citizens cannot make fair and informed decisions at the ballot box.

Biden’s summit comes as people from Belarus to Serbia have hit the streets to demand accountability from their leaders. And it comes as Western leaders have grown increasingly wary of the tactics and intentions of the ruling Chinese Communist Party and alarmed about renewed Russian aggression toward Ukraine and their proxies in the Balkans.

But it is with the media that we are really losing the battle to protect democracy.

Today, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that the number of journalists who are behind bars worldwide reached a new high point in 2021, with 293 reporters imprisoned as of 1 December 2021.

“The number reflects two inextricable challenges – governments are determined to control and manage information, and they are increasingly brazen in their efforts to do so.” said CPJ executive director Joel Simon in a statement.

Mr Simon could have been describing many countries in the Balkans. But just as important as the brazen attacks on journalists, are the implicit tactics used to enforce state control of the media by manipulating ownership of private media assets, rigging independent regulators, and fostering clientelism with government funding.

Fair media markets depend not only on journalists and media outlets but also on a complex interplay between many actors – states and non-state actors alike – including lawmakers, media owners, advertisers, regulators and civil society groups. That is why we at BFMI call on those attending Biden’s Summit to remain wary of the widespread threats against the media and to do more to hold authoritarian governments to account when they stifle independent media and free voices. 

When political forces have licence to distort the media market for their benefit, it is not only media professionals who suffer. Society pays a heavy price when the media are unable to perform the role required of them in a functioning democracy.