Independence is not a given. Together, we must defend and earn it.

Across Europe, the independence of many public service media is no longer self-evident, not even in established democracies. Meanwhile, privately owned media suffer as well from mounting pressure on editorial practices and face capture through ownership meddling. This should concern all of us. Public service media serve citizens – not governments, not political parties, not commercial interests. They also strengthen pluralism at both the structural and content level within the entire market.

Independence enables journalists to report freely, editors to exercise professional judgement, and organisations to fulfil their democratic role without fear or favour. And that role has rarely been more important: disinformation is spreading easily, trust in institutions is under pressure, societies are more polarised than at any time in recent history, and the threat of conflict spreading beyond Ukraine and across Europe is increasingly real. Citizens need reliable, independent sources of news and information they can trust, and that is exactly what they expect from public service media.

Yet independence cannot be taken for granted. Even where strong laws exist, pressure emerges in many forms and rarely through blunt interference. More often, it builds gradually through governance choices, funding decisions, appointments, and shifting expectations about “who decides what”.

The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) is an important step forward. But laws alone do not secure independence in practice. It must be upheld, respected and defended – every day, in every country. There should be a mutual understanding of the importance of independence, responsibility and accountability between media companies, civil society and politicians. It is both about law and attitudes.

This is why dialogue among public service media organisations matters.

Through exchange, we build resilience and strengthen our ability to re-establish – in partnership with others where possible – the foundations that media in liberal democracies rest on. Today, on 9 March, several public service media organisations will come together in Brussels under Chatham House rules to share experiences, lessons learned and practical responses. Not to air problems publicly, but to reinforce safeguards where they matter most. Not to be complacent, but to act responsibly. Not to isolate ourselves, but to recognise what our role within a strong pluralistic media system can be.

Independence is never guaranteed. It must be continuously renewed through strong laws, resilient institutions and cooperation within and beyond the public service media community. The public and other stakeholders must be reminded of what independent media provide to society. That too is an integral part of media literacy.

Ultimately, this is not about protecting organisations, but about safeguarding a public value citizens rely on: access to trustworthy, independent information and local content that connects people to their societies.

It is our shared responsibility to live up to it. To be where the audience is, not make them look for us.

The most serious threat today is not overt capture of media, including public service media. It is the gradual normalisation of interference – the slow erosion of boundaries until independence becomes nominal.

The question, therefore, is not where the line between acceptable dependence and unacceptable interference lies. It is whether we are willing to defend that line before it fades from view. Once independence is hollowed out, rebuilding it is extraordinarily difficult. Vigilance, structural safeguards and political courage in support of independent public service media remain essential. Now more than ever.

Kristian Porter, CEO, Public Media Alliance

Karen Donders, Director of Public Value, VRT