New media and the Language Charter: Protecting regional or minority languages in the digital age

The twenty-first century saw the rapid rise of new media, increasing its share within the media mix and becoming a crucial platform for democratic debate and cultural consumption. Meanwhile, provisions related to the media in the European Charter for Regional or Minority languages merely refer to traditional forms of media. This article tries to answer the question whether the Charter with its unchanged provisions can continue to fulfil its function of protecting endangered languages, integrating the different forms of new media for the fulfilment member states’ obligations. Based on an analysis of the most recent monitoring reports of the Charter’s Committee of Experts, this research arrives at the conclusion that the Charter is indeed fit for the digital age, with both traditional and new media coming to play an important role in protecting and promoting minority and regional languages.