There is no democracy without media freedom | Pia Zammit

Pia Zammit is a Committee member, Repubblika

In Malta, we know—painfully—what happens when media freedom is under threat. We’ve lived it.

We understand that when a journalist like Daphne Caruana Galizia is killed with a car bomb outside her home, it’s not just an attack on an individual. It’s an assault on the public’s right to information. It’s a bid to silence the truth before it can be heard.

That attack did not occur unexpectedly. It followed years of threats, lawsuits, and intimidation. It was the result of a political culture rooted in secrecy and impunity. Society had gradually learned to accept the silencing of uncomfortable voices.

But without those voices, there is no democracy.

Democratic Vision 2050 recognises that media freedom is not a luxury or merely decorative. It is a fundamental pillar. When journalism is robust, citizens can hold those in power to account. When it is fragile, corruption spreads, lies become policy, and the truth is whatever the powerful declare it to be.

Currently, Malta continues to face challenges in this area. Yes, we have some courageous and autonomous journalists. Yes, excellent investigative journalism is being conducted. However, the structures designed to safeguard media freedom remain delicate—and in some instances, intentionally undermined.

Journalists still face legal harassment. Public broadcasting, which should offer impartial, inclusive, high-quality journalism, is still widely seen as a government mouthpiece—more interested in spin than scrutiny.

Political parties own their own media houses, creating echo chambers rather than a shared public conversation. This blurs the line between journalism and propaganda, contributing to the tribalism that poisons much of our national debate.

Meanwhile, freelance and independent journalists operate in precarious conditions, lacking the institutional or financial support needed to challenge the powerful. Many encounter online abuse, threats, and isolation. Others self-censor—not because they are weak, but because they are exhausted or frightened.

We cannot build a democratic future on this shaky ground.

That’s why Democratic Vision 2050 advocates for urgent, structural reform to safeguard and enhance genuine media freedom.

We propose a new legal framework to prevent SLAPPs, including rules that enable courts to dismiss abusive lawsuits swiftly and to penalise those who exploit the legal system to silence dissent.

We want a fully independent and reformed PBS, managed by a board representing multiple parties and civil society, dedicated to editorial independence, transparency, and public service journalism, not political loyalty.

We call for clear rules to limit political party media ownership, ensuring Malta’s media landscape does not become dominated by two echo chambers shouting past each other. Political voices should contribute to public debate, yet not dominate it.

We call for increased financial transparency from media companies, particularly those that receive state advertising, to ensure public funds are not used to promote friendly coverage or penalise critical reporting.

We propose establishing a public interest journalism fund, accessible to independent journalists and newsrooms, to support investigative journalism and promote diversity. This fund must be managed independently, free from political influence.

And finally, we need cultural change. We must stop treating journalists as enemies of the people. We should teach media literacy in schools. We must recognise journalism as a public good, just as vital to democracy as courts, parliaments, or elections.

Because the real truth is this: if we want clean politics, fair justice, and an informed public, we need a free press. No watchdog equals no accountability. No scrutiny equals no shame. And no media freedom equals no true freedom at all.

Media freedom is not about protecting journalists for their own sake. It’s about protecting your right to know what’s being done in your name, with your money, and to your future.

Without that, democracy becomes a performance. With it, democracy becomes a conversation.

Read the full vision at www.repubblika.org/democracy2050. Because if we don’t defend the media, we won’t know when everything else is falling apart.