European Press Regulation

European press regulation is dynamic because it is conducted at multiple levels, through international, regional, and national authorities, usually in association with civil society groups, intergovernmental monitors, and press councils. They all play, in their own ways, important roles in defining the freedoms of speech and press in Europe, in addition to the restrictions allowed on those freedoms—and the privileges that journalists enjoy in their newsgathering and publishing activities. Although the regulatory landscape is rooted in the understanding that a free press is essential to democracy, other public and personal interests are weighed in the balance. This entry provides an overview of the many actors, legal sources, and theories involved in European press regulation.