In her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a clear political message: the health of independent journalism is critical to the health of democracy.
Among a series of announcements on the EU’s democratic, digital and geopolitical agenda, President von der Leyen unveiled a new Media Resilience Programme, backed by increased EU funding in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The programme is designed to support independent journalism, foster media literacy, and encourage private investment in independent and local media across Europe.
The initiative is part of a broader political drive to defend democracy, uphold the rule of law, and confront growing threats such as disinformation and online harms. In this context, the Commission will also create a European Democracy Shield and establish a European Centre for Democratic Resilience to coordinate the EU’s efforts against foreign interference and disinformation campaigns.
President Von der Leyen’s speech acknowledged the strategic role of the media in safeguarding democratic systems. She drew a direct link between media sustainability and democratic resilience, highlighting the growing concern over “news deserts” — regions where local media has disappeared — and the subsequent rise of disinformation in those spaces.
Importantly, she warned that “capturing or weakening independent media is a classic tactic of autocratic regimes”, signalling an awareness at the highest political level of the need to protect journalistic freedom and integrity within the EU.
News media operations will regard the proposed funding and policy focus on media resilience offers a welcome boost – but it must now be translated into concrete measures that protect real newsgathering, support professional journalism, and address structural threats to editorial independence.
