If we do not know who the owners of media companies are, it is impossible to take steps to address excessive media concentrations and conflicts of interest. For example, prior to amendments in the law requiring disclosure of media ownership in 2011, the leading national broadcasters in Georgia were seen as mouthpieces of government and their real owners were hidden behind offshore companies. In Croatia, the process of privatising the print media from 2000 onwards was rife with corruption scandals with the real ownership structure of the media often hidden behind secret contracts and far-reaching informal agreements involving high-profile

Madrid, 31 October 2014 - The 10 Recommendations for Transparency of Media Ownership (TMO) are currently "the most refined checklist of relevant criteria on TMO and the ideal starting point to discuss action points," according to a background report written for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The report by Peggy Valcke, one of the leading experts in media policy in Europe, states media ownership transparency as an essential prerequisite for the proper functioning of democracies. You can read a copy of the background report here  

Madrid, 3 October 2014 - Citizens are unable to establish who owns or controls the media operating in their country because of none or limited media specific or general disclosure provisions, accroding to one of the key findings of a report on The Transparency of Media Ownership in the European Union and Neighbouring States. The report is based on a survey of media ownership transparency rules in 20 European Union (EU) and neighbouring states carried out by Access Info Europe and commissioned by the Open Society Media Program. The survey has been designed to inform current debates about the roles

Is media ownership transparent? In law YES FOR BROADCAST MEDIA ONLY In practice NO IN LAW Under the Broadcasting Act 1990 and Communications Act 2003 it is possible to find out who owns the broadcast media through information reported to media authority, the Office for Communications (Ofcom). The law does not state what information should be disclosed but leaves it to the discretion of Ofcom to request all the information it deems necessary. In practice this may include information on the size of shareholdings, beneficial owners and those with indirect interests and control if Ofcom requests such information. These requirements

Is media ownership transparent? In law YES In practice NO IN LAW According to the law, it is possible to finds out who owns print, broadcast and online media in Norway through information reported to the Norwegian Media Authority. Under the 1997 Media Ownership Act, on the request of the Norwegian Media Authority, all media must report sufficient information for their owners to be identified. It should be noted that, in common with Luxembourg and the UK, the Norwegian law does not specific exactly what information should be reported but rather relies on the media authority to request of the

Is media ownership transparent? In law YES FOR BROADCAST MEDIA ONLY In practice NO IN LAW According to the law, it is possible to finds out who owns broadcast media only in Georgia through information reported to the media authority, Georgian National Communications Council (GNCC), and directly to the public. As a result of amendments to the Law on Broadcasting in 2011, broadcast media must disclose enough information for their real owners to be identified. This includes information on the size of shareholdings, beneficial owners and those with indirect interests and control. Ownership of broadcast media by offshore companies was