SEEMO was founded in October 2000 in Zagreb, Croatia, by a group of leading editors-in-chief, media executives and professors of journalism and communications from Southeast Europe, in the presence of representatives of international institutions.

One of SEEMO's main activities is protecting press freedom by helping journalists and media outlets in South East Europe.

Over 60 percent of SEEMO's press releases and letters of protest to governmental and other officials have had positive results in the past.

In the past, SEEMO has provided direct help to journalists in the region by giving them technical equipment and other assistance.

SEEMO monitors press freedom in South East Europe and responds to threats and attacks on journalists and media outlets by sending protest letters to governments, inter-governmental organisations, but also companies or some political or other groups.

SEEMO leads missions to countries where press freedom is under threat, meeting with government officials, diplomats, journalists and non-governmental organisations, and providing legal representation and support in court cases.

In 2009 SEEMO organised a press freedom mission to Serbia, where the delegation met with Serbian Minister for Internal Affairs Ivica Dacic, as also more than 70 media representatives.

Between January 2000 and 2012 (October), SEEMO has assembled over 14,000 editors-in-chief, media executives, leading journalists and public persons from the region in various meetings.

Between 2002 and 2004, SEEMO organised 14 dialogue meetings between editors-in-chief, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe.

The second South, East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days were in Serbia in May 2011 with topic "Corruption and Media".

SEEMO is organising in cooperation with SECEPRO and International Academy / International Media Center, and project-partners Konrad Adenauer Foundation (Stiftung) and the Central European Initiative (CEI) the South East Europe Media Forum (SEEMF), as a meeting between journalists and political representatives.

The first SEEMF was in Zagreb, Croatia in June 2007, with the participation of the Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and 200 journalists from South East and Central Europe.

Second SEEMF was in Sofia, Bulgaria in November 2008, with the participation of the Bulgarian prime minister Sergej Stanishev and 250 journalists in South East and Central Europe.