By Laurence Monnot, COMMIT
On 17 May, the Austrian Citizens‘ Parliament on Media and Democracy held its fourth and final meeting in Vienna, adopting fifteen resolutions on ‚Representation in the media‘. Throughout the process, citizens experienced direct participation in policymaking and democracy. The results of the Citizens‘ Parliament will be presented to the Austrian public on 25 June 2025.
A living experience of democracy
Saturday 17 May. The Austrian Citizens‘ Parliament on Media and Democracy met for the fourth and final time. ‚It could have been longer,‚ two members remarked. Not that they feel they haven’t done justice to their task as CP members. On the contrary, most of them expressed great satisfaction at having contributed their ideas and suggestions. But some are still marvelling at how they managed to achieve results supported by everyone, despite diverging opinions at the beginning. ‚The process remained pleasant, constructive and even fun right up to the end,‘ one citizen concluded.
For most members, the Citizens’ Parliament provided an opportunity to engage in discussions with people they would never encounter in their everyday lives. This experience broadened their horizons: ‚It was enriching to put myself in the shoes of others. It’s a path I’ve started on,” one participant summarized. ‚This „un-bubbling“ was refreshing and fun,‚ agreed another.
Citizens‘ parliaments not only enable citizens to participate in shaping policy. The process of reflecting together and finding solutions through respectful discussions with people from diverse backgrounds allows participants to experience democracy in action.
More diversity in reporting, as well as in the newsrooms and advisory boards
Following on from the topics ‚Media regulation‘ and ‚Participation in and through the media‘, in the final session the CP members addressed the question: ‚How can the media better respond to the needs of citizens, and what must they do to better reflect diversity?‚
Petra Herczeg, a communication science lecturer at the University of Vienna, explained why democracy needs diversity and demonstrated how the media shapes opinion in an increasingly polarized world. She also identified opportunities for greater diversity in the media. Then, Otto Tremetzberger, managing director of the Festival of Regions and a media producer, presented practical examples to illustrate the lack of diversity in the Austrian media landscape and offered suggestions where progress could be made.
The results will be presented on 25 June. Political stakeholders and the media are urged to take action
‚Being taken seriously is important,‘ one participant insisted. This refers not only to discussions with other CP members but also summarizes the purpose of participating in the Citizens‘ Parliament. The collective contribution of the participants is intended to inspire politicians and the media, and to strengthen the demand for living democracy in the media.
On 25 June 2025, four elected representatives of the Citizens‘ Parliament will present the results to political stakeholders, media representatives, and the general public in Austria.