Biography

Sofia Verza is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) at the European University Institute. As part of the “Media Pluralism Monitor” project, she focuses on safety of journalists, surveillance, SLAPPs and the independence of media authorities in Europe. In 2023 and 2024, she coordinated research on local media in Europe (“Local Media for Democracy”). In 2021 and 2022, she was coordinator of the “Study on Pluralism and Diversity in Online Media”, preparatory to the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).

She has been a visiting researcher at the Institute for Information Law (University of Amsterdam), Columbia University (New York), Bilgi University (Istanbul) and the University of Antwerp.

She has collaborated with the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and the Global Freedom of Expression Initiative (Columbia University). Sofia Verza holds a PhD in Sociology of Communication from the University of Perugia and a law degree from the University of Trento.

Research projects, clusters and working groups

Completed

• Local Media for Democracy
• Study on Media Plurality and Diversity Online

Recent research output

• MENÉNDEZ GONZÁLEZ, Natalia; LEVANTINO, Francesco Paolo; VERZA, Sofia; TREVISAN, Stefano (2026), 'Face the facts' : examining the use of facial recognition technology by news outlets through human rights lenses, Article
• BLAGOJEV, Tijana; BLEYER-SIMON, Konrad; BROGI, Elda; CARLINI, Roberta; DA COSTA LEITE BORGES, Danielle; KERMER, Jan Erik; NENADIC, Iva; PALMER, Marie; PARCU, Pier Luigi; REVIGLIO, Urbano; TREVISAN, Matteo; VERZA, Sofia (2025), Monitoring media pluralism in the European Union : results of the MPM2025, Technical Report
• VERZA, Sofia (2025), What is journalism in the digital age? : key definitions in the European Media Freedom Act, Article
• VERZA, Sofia; BRKIĆ RUŽIĆ, Daniela; ERBAYSAL FILIBELI, Tirse; MILUTINOVIĆ, Irina; TRPEVSKA, Snežana; VOKO, Kristina (2025), The role of alternative news media online for media pluralism in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey, Contribution to book
• BONERBA, Giuseppina; VERZA, Sofia (2024), Women terrorists in the Italian news : the representation of agency from ‘red witches’ to ‘lady Jihad’, Article
• BLEYER-SIMON, Konrad; BROGI, Elda; CARLINI, Roberta; DA COSTA LEITE BORGES, Danielle; KERMER, Jan Erik; NENADIC, Iva; PALMER, Marie; PARCU, Pier Luigi; REVIGLIO, Urbano; TREVISAN, Matteo; VERZA, Sofia; ŽUFFOVÁ, Mária (2024), Monitoring media pluralism in the digital era : application of the media pluralism monitor in the European member states and in candidate countries in 2023, Technical Report