Parliamentarians and broadcasters will come together in Prague next month to discuss the role of government in protecting and sustaining public service media (PSM).

‘Public Service Media and Democracy’ will bring parliamentarians from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) together with regulators and PSM managers.

As a recent EBU study demonstrated, well-funded and strong PSM goes hand in hand with signs of a healthy democracy.

The conference will look at the role and responsibility of parliaments in securing freedom of expression and freedom of the media. With many broadcasters still struggling to make the transition from State media to true PSM, how can we ensure parliaments help protect that freedom rather than trying to restrict it?

In recent years, we have seen Governments attempting to stifle freedom of expression with abrupt changes to the law, budgetary constraints and control in the appointment and dismissal of PSM governing bodies.

Lack of stable and predictable funding for PSM in many CEE countries seriously endangers media independence and undermines its very principles.

Now, more than ever, we need strong, credible and highly professional PSM in Europe, reinforcing democracy and reaching out to national and regional audiences and involving them in the decision making process. PSM has an increasingly important role to play in addressing hate crime and the divisions in society that can be perpetuated by media stereotyping and exploited by political powers.

The conference will address all these issues and look at the long term independence and sustainability of PSM in the region.

The conference is being organised by the EBU, the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), the Czech Parliament and Czech TV. The event will be hosted by the Chamber of Deputies of Parliament of the Czech Republic from 10^th-11^th November. Details of the programme are available online.

Journalists wishing to attend can contact Claire Rainford. The event will also be streamed live on the EBU website.