Skip to the main content

Church in the World : Church in the World, Vol. 49 No. 2, 2014.

Original scientific paper

Večernji and Jutarnji list. Analysis of Media Coverage of the Initiative “On Behalf of the Family”: Why did David Beat Goliath?

Ivica Šola ; University of Osijek, Department of cultural studies
Marina Đukić orcid id orcid.org/0000-0002-3224-9148 ; University of Osijek, Department of cultural studies

Full text: croatian pdf 1.016 Kb

page 197-221

downloads: 1.530

cite

Abstract

Analyzing the contents of the two largest Croatian dailies the authors investigate the difference between information and propaganda in the context of the referendum initiative “On Behalf of the Family” by which the definition of marriage as a union of man and woman has been entered into the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia. The essential question of the research is: How is it that the initiative was successful despite the fact that the vast majority of the media, as well as the establishment in power, was against, i.e. how is it that such a media campaign failed in spite of, not only propounding support, but also financial support of the authorities? In terms of the media it was a battle of David (FOR) and Goliath (AGAINST). Along the line of a mediologist Regis Debray who distinguishes communication as a transfer of information in space in synchronic manner and transmission (transport) as a transfer of information in time in diachronic manner, the authors point to the boundaries of media campaigns and propaganda (communication) when faced with the “institutions of memory” such as family, church, or tradition of a collectivity in general (transport). Along the lines of Erasmus of Rotterdam (“it is harder to unlearn than to learn”), the authors conclude that the media (synchronic principle which constitutes society) are powerless without the intervention in the institutions of memory (transmission, diachronic principle which constitutes culture, tradition), which is being done or attempted to be done in many Western countries, and in Croatia as well, by neo-Jacobin principle of re-education through the system of civic and health education.

Keywords

information; propaganda; communication; transmission; re-education

Hrčak ID:

126122

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/126122

Publication date:

19.8.2014.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.999 *