An Autocrat’s Guide to Destroying Local Media, Part 2

In Part 1, you learned how illiberal regimes have used the political tools at their disposal – and their rich friends – to turn the media outlets of democratic European countries into propaganda machines. In Part 2 we’re exploring the legal tools needed to complete the job and talking to local journalists who found themselves on the receiving end of these takeovers. Finally, we’re asking: how can you stop a wannabe autocrat doing this in *your* country? 

This series was funded by Journalism Fund Europe, the Allianz Foundation, and supporters of The Europeans.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/europeanspodcast⁠⁠⁠ (many currencies are available). You can also help new listeners find the show by ⁠⁠⁠leaving us a review⁠⁠⁠ or giving us five stars on Spotify. 

Credits

Reporters: Viktória Serdült, Dimitar Ganev and Wojciech Oleksiak

Writers: Wojciech Oleksiak and Dimitar Ganev

Production, scoring, sound design and mixing: Wojciech Oleksiak

Editors: Adam Zulawski and Katy Lee

Editorial support: Katz Laszlo and Dominic Kraemer

Director of recording sessions: Dominic Kraemer 

Artwork: RTiiiKA

Thanks for talking to us: Vesislava Antonova, Ervin Gűth, Antal Józing, Zuzanna Nowicka, Venelina Popova, Anna Wójcik, Spas Spassov, Marek Twaróg, Ágnes Urbán, and Cezary Węgliński.

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | Bluesky | ⁠⁠Twitter | hello@europeanspodcast.com

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

COMING SOON