Local and community media in Europe : comparative analysis of the Media Pluralism Monitor data between 2020 and 2023

Abstract

Local and community media have essential roles in a functioning democracy and in fostering inclusive communities. Over the past two decades, however, these sectors have encountered significant challenges due to digital transformation and economic downturns that have hindered their capacity to fulfil their political and social functions. This report offers a comparative analysis of key issues in local and community media across 27 EU member states and five candidate countries (Albania, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey) based on data gathered as part of the Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM) project by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) at the European University Institute between 2020 and 2023.