MEDIADEM consortium meets in Athens

The MEDIADEM research team met in Athens on 1-2 July 2011 for the third meeting of the project. The group elaborated on the objectives of MEDIADEM’s case study research and exchanged ideas and opinions on how media freedom and independence should be empirically studied. Due attention was afforded to the identification of the factors that subject contemporary media to relations of dependence and the political, socio-economic and cultural dynamics that shape policy-making processes. Project partners presented their preliminary findings on the specific policy tools and regulatory instruments which they consider could have an impact on the development of free and independent media in their respective countries and provided an overview of the material and sources upon which their research is based. The contributions and the fruitful discussion that followed provided guidance on how policy dynamics should be empirically approached, and offered a valuable basis for the finalisation of the 14 case study reports which are expected towards the end of 2011. Researchers will then meet in Edinburgh in December 2011 to discuss the next steps of their research.