17th Connecting EU Seminar - A bastion of democracy: helping journalism survive and thrive

The European Economic and Social Committee will host the 2024 Connecting EU seminar on 17-18 October 2024 , which will this year address the urgent need to preserve independent and impartial journalism in the context of mounting political pressures and the rapid rise of generative AI.

The 2024 Connecting EU seminar will focus on the ways of ensuring that journalism remains a cornerstone of democracy. Experts will share insights into the growing threats to press freedom and explore how civil society can help uphold media pluralism across Europe.

Agenda Highlights

• Keynote Speech by Dr. Alexandra Borchardt, lead author of the European Broadcasting Union's study "Trusted Journalism in the Age of Generative AI."

Panels include:

• Responsible Journalism in the Post-Truth Era: exploring the viability of responsible journalism in a world where media outlets are competing with influencers and social media as the sources of news. Can the latest EU acts help make AI an ally of press freedom?
• The Job of Living Dangerously – Investigative Reporting: examining the risks faced by investigative journalists and the legal frameworks designed to protect them, including the European Media Freedom Act and Anti-SLAPP Directive.
• Networking session: "Connecting with young audiences" and “Working as a press or communication officer in the age of TikTok and AI” – practical workshops on effective communication strategies for the digital age.

Speakers include:

• Oliver Röpke, EESC President
• Ricardo Gutiérrez, General Secretary of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
• Jerzy Pomianowski, Executive Director of the European Endowment for Democracy
• Jean-Paul Marthoz, Columnist and Coordinator of the Council of Europe’s Press Freedom Report
• Clothilde Goujard, freelance reporter, former senior technology reporter at Politico
• Gretel Kahn, journalist for the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
• Lukaš Diko, director, Jan Kuciak Investigative Centre, Slovakia
• Gill Phillips, freelance solicitor, former editorial legal director of The Guardian, UK
• Andreas Lamm, Interim Managing Director at European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
• Hanna Liubakova, journalist from Belarus. Non-resident fellow @AtlanticCouncil

The full list of speakers is available here.

Why Attend?
This seminar offers a unique opportunity to connect with leading experts on the future of journalism, explore the pressing challenges to media independence in Europe and share best practices with communication professionals from civil society.

For full details on programme, please visit our event webpage. The seminar will be web-streamed.