Live from Brussels II - Changing Dynamics of the Brussels Press Corps

Following the 2021 report on the dynamics of the Brussels press corps, the General Secretariat of the Council (GSC) has conducted a new study in 2026 to update these insights. This report provides another opportunity to understand how Brussels correspondents work, and how recent challenges, such as disinformation and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), have affected their work since the last study.

It shows that over the last five years, the number of accredited journalists has remained roughly constant, even though the number of media organisations active in Brussels has slightly decreased in that period. Journalists surveyed continue to rely heavily on EU institutions’ press services, and particularly on off-the-record briefings, press releases and background materials. Press activities of EU institutions and member states also remain important sources of information for Brussels correspondents.

Private messaging apps have become an important aspect of journalistic work in Brussels, with social media generally remaining central too, though attitudes toward its influence have become more ambivalent since 2021.

The survey also showed that journalists overwhelmingly regard disinformation as a major threat to news media and many report frequent exposure to misleading or false information . Meanwhile, AI has become increasingly integrated into journalistic practice in Brussels. 

The 2026 survey – like the 2021 survey – was developed and the present report written in close collaboration with Professor Sophie Lecheler at the University of Vienna (Austria).

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