Poland’s TVP World, Germany’s Deutsche Welle (DW) and France Médias Monde (FMM) told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that they are ready to expand their services in regions "where independent journalism is most vulnerable" and where US-funded broadcasters have been forced to scale back under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The three broadcasters argued that a coordinated European response would help counter rising disinformation, prevent "an information vacuum" in vulnerable regions and strengthen the EU’s strategic media footprint through trusted European outlets.
DW and FMM noted that together they reach nearly 600 million people weekly in almost 40 languages, while TVP World said its audience includes around 200 million viewers in Ukraine, Belarus and across Eastern Europe.
The broadcasters’ chiefs argued that Europe was well placed to fill the gap left by the weakening of internationally funded US broadcasters.
They warned that a reversal of Washington’s funding cuts is unlikely.
In contrast, the EU has been rolling out initiatives aimed at supporting media and safeguarding democracy, including the European Democracy Shield and the AgoraEU programme, which allocates funds for media resilience in the bloc’s new budget cycle.
The broadcasters also urged the Commission to prioritise EU financing for European media activities in neighbouring and candidate countries, arguing that such support is essential for stability and democratic development.
(ał)
Source: PAP