※ URL(Korean): https://www.kisdi.re.kr/bbs/view.do?bbsSn=114737&key=m2101113055776&pageIndex=2&sc=&sw=

KISDI Publishes Report on “The European Media Freedom Act and Its Implications” 
- Exploring EU Policy Responses to Safeguard Editorial Independence and Media Pluralism in the Online Platform Era 

The Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI, President Lee Sang-kyu) recently published KISDI Perspectives (25-07-03) titled “The European Media Freedom Act and Its Implications.”

The report examines the structural changes that online platforms have brought to the media landscape and analyzes the key provisions of the newly enacted “European Media Freedom Act,” offering policy insights relevant to Korea.

According to the report, online platforms have fundamentally transformed how content is produced, distributed, and consumed, exerting significant influence over the editorial authority and economic decision-making of media service providers. These shifts call for a redefinition of media’s role and value, as well as a reevaluation of policy directions.

The “European Media Freedom Act” took effect in May 2024 and, following a 15-month grace period, entered into full implementation on August 8, 2025. The Act complements existing EU legislation such as the AVMSD (Audiovisual Media Services Directive), DSA (Digital Services Act), and DMA (Digital Markets Act), while introducing a new regulatory framework designed to address the growing influence of digital technologies and online platforms.

KISDI Research Fellow Eunjin Jeong explained, “The European Media Freedom Act aims to strengthen the capacity of the European media market and protect the pluralism and independence of the media,” adding that “this legislation marks the EU’s first institutional attempt to safeguard media value within a platform-based media ecosystem.”

The report summarizes the main elements of the Act as follows: ▲ First, it promotes EU-level cooperation to protect the governance of public service media, ensuring that they can provide diverse and balanced information to European citizens. ▲ Second, it empowers trustworthy media service providers with editorial responsibility to engage in structured “dialogue” with major online platforms, enabling them to demand transparency or raise objections when necessary. ▲ Third, it introduces principles for assessing media market concentration and monitoring media pluralism, encompassing all forms of media—including print, broadcast, digital—and digital intermediaries, in recognition of online influence on public opinion.

Overall, the study highlights the significance of the “European Media Freedom Act” as a case that embodies both the ideological and practical pursuit of editorial independence and media diversity within media policy. However, the report notes that uncertainties remain regarding how the Act will be implemented in practice, given the differing political and economic contexts across EU member states. It recommends close monitoring of the Act’s rollout after its enforcement on August 8, 2025, and of subsequent institutional adjustments within the EU.