Maria Michalis interviewed for German public radio about Euronews

In March 2026, Professor Maria Michalis was interviewed for Deutschlandfunk, the German public radio broadcaster, on the occasion of recent allegations by Euractiv that Euronews, the pan-European television news network, has links to authoritarian regimes. She was asked to comment on the role of Euronews in the European media landscape and on whether continued partial EU funding for Euronews was justified.

Maria characterised the allegations as alarming and indicative of broader, increasingly prevalent trends in European media markets and beyond. She noted that these trends demonstrate the capture of the media by powerful political and economic interests, which, in turn, highlight the challenges facing liberal democracy. She explained that Euronews serves as a clear example of these media capture trends. She emphasised the importance of transparency in media ownership and funding structures, as well as the need for a clear separation between owners’ interests and Euronews’s editorial independence.

She added that the European Union must closely examine these revelations when deciding whether to continue partially funding the channel. If funding does continue, specific transparency and other requirements may need to be implemented. She also pointed out that Euronews lacks transparency regarding viewer ratings and audience reach. As a result, it will be challenging to assess whether audiences will stop watching the channel due to these allegations.

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