Transparency in Portuguese media: From the buzzword to the unsolved regulatory challenge

Abstract

Media transparency is a long-discussed term. It has been conceptualized as an evolving professional value, a political issue, and a regulatory challenge. In the disinformed digital age, became a rescue criterion to rebuild a credible relationship with the public based on trustworthiness. The concept is broadly discursively constructed as a key element of media pluralism but faces great variability across media systems, regulatory frameworks, and journalistic cultures. In Portugal, media companies are required to post annually detailed financial and ownership information on the Digital Transparency Platform. The Media Regulatory Authority (ERC) makes the data public through the Transparency Portal and partially integrates it into its annual regulatory reports. The Portuguese case stands out in a European space deprived of established transnational standards to assess media transparency. This article attempts to examine the effectiveness and impact of the Portuguese regulatory framework. The evidence is the Portuguese initiative ensures access to relevant data but provides political legitimacy to a narrowed version of media transparency, confined to assumptions of soft accountability. The main argument is that enhancing effective media transparency requires a multi-actor approach and a sound articulation of regulatory policies with a clear focus on impact and dissemination.