Question

Barton works as a freelance reporter covering stories in State F, a member state of the EU. Her revealing stories, which she sells to a variety of progressive independent newspapers throughout the EU, have caused a great deal of embarrassment to a certain minister in the State F government, and the minister has asked the State F parliament to pass a law forbidding foreign news reporters from working in State F without the permission of that minister's office. Parliament has asked State F's attorney general for an opinion on the legality of the minister's request in light of State F's membership in the EU. What advice should the attorney general give Parliament? How could this advice affect the Parliament?

Answer 1

THE MEDIA FREEDOM IN MOST OF THE EU MEMBER COUNTRIES IS NOT GOOD AT ALL. LIKE IN HUNGARY THERE IS STRICT GOVERNMENT CONTROL ON STATE MEDIA. IN SEVERAL MEMBER COUNTRIES THERE S A NEXUS BETWEEN MEDIA OUTLETS AND INDUSTRIALISTS. THE MEDIA OVER THERE ACTS AS PRIVATE PROXY CENSOR FOR STATE. THE HUMAN RIGHTS ARE NOT AT THE CENTRE OF EU FOREIGN POLICY. UNDER ALL THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ATTORNEY SHOULD SUGGEST A LAW THAT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT AND SUPPORTIVE TO THE JOURNALISTS SO THAT THEY REPORT THE WRONG DOINGS AND HARM TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. HENCE THE LAW SHOULD BE MADE SO THAT IT CAN IMPROVE THE MEDIA CONDITIONS IN STATE F.