In the EU, there is no such thing as a standardised European public sphere. A pan-European media system doesn't exist.
There are no newspapers that are published in the entire Union, like, for example, the New York Times or the Washington Post in the US.
That means that Europeans are mainly informed by their national media, which are different from country to country and have different perspectives.
Prominent European media have also English-language versions. However, none of them are produced with the specific intention of reaching the entire European audience.
Nevertheless, there are specialised media focusing only on EU affairs and covering news from a pan-European perspective. Most of them present EU-related news mostly - but not only - in English, with as purpose of reaching the broad EU public and beyond.
I strongly believe that their role is paramount in the creation of a European public sphere and, the reinforcement of EU integration and cohesion despite the challenge of multilingualism.
Here is my top 7 of most influential pan-European media that cover politics and current events relevant to the EU and Europe at large:
1. Politico
In December 2014, German publisher Axel Springer and US news organisation Politico announced the joint acquisition of the Brussels-based publication European Voice as part of their plan to launch a weekly European edition of Politico. The majority of the publication's articles cover the day-to-day business of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the EU's interactions in domestic and international affairs. Politico Europe also publishes profiles of important or influential public figures within the European Union and organises EU-related conferences and seminars.
2. Euractiv
Euractiv is a digital news platform based in Brussels and has offices in France, Germany, the UK, Greece, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. It publishes articles on a daily basis in twelve languages and each national website republishes content from euractiv.com in their respective languages, with additional content relevant to their country’s situation within the EU. Euractiv often focuses on the positioning of EU actors at the pre-legislative stage of decision-making. It also has content sharing agreements with other media, such as El Pais, La Tribune, The Guardian & Der Tagesspiegel. EURACTIV's reporting is regularly quoted by international newspapers such as CNN, The New York Times, Financial Times & Le Point. Christophe Leclercq is the founder of EURACTIV.
3. New Europe
New Europe was founded in 1993 by Basil Coronakis, a Greek journalist as an independent weekly newspaper. It is one of the oldest magazines on EU affairs in Brussels and has a print and digital edition. Its main focus is the affairs of the EU and the Eurozone, with the majority of the paper's articles covering the day-to-day business of EU policy-making and the relations of the EU with other global actors. Since 2012, New Europe has published an annual Our World edition which features commentaries & opinions about the year ahead from key stakeholders and politicians from Europe and the wider international community.
4. Euronews
Euronews is a group of multilingual news media (TV, online, mobile apps, web radio...), with its headquarter in Lyon, France. Euronews was created in 1993 with the aim to counterbalance CNN International in Europe, to cover world news from a pan-European perspective and to facilitate European integration. Euronews’ mission to present a strong response to CNN has been successfully accomplished. It reaches more than 400 million households in 155 countries and broadcasts in 12 different languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese, Hungarian, Russian, Arabic, Persian and Turkish.
5. E!Sharp
E!Sharp is one of the oldest (online) magazines on EU affairs in Brussels. It started with a printed version in 2002 with as purpose to engage a wider audience and provide thought provoking analysis on the EU and Europe’s place in the world. Via debate, commentary and humour, it demystifies the complexity of the European Union. Paul Adamson is the founder of E!Sharp, that recently changed its name to Encompass.
6. EUobserver
EUobserver is a not-for-profit, independent online newspaper established in Brussels in 2000 by Lisbeth Kirk, a Danish journalist. It provides both daily reports and in-depth coverage on international affairs related to the European Union. Kirk has described the role EUobserver plays as a pan-European online news medium as becoming "increasingly more vital to public debate and democracy", in proportion to the "increasing number of important decisions that are made at European level"
The Parliament Magazine is a magazine on EU politics covering the European Parliament news, opinion and comment. It is engaging forum for discussion on the latest developments in EU politics and policy, featuring regular contributions from prominent European policymakers and its editorial team. The magazine is owned by Dods, a British company that provides contact and biographical information about the Houses of Parliament in the UK.
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