Conference paper
Public Impatience, Slow Progress and Objective Difficulties in the Establishment of the Croatian Public Media
Mirko Galić
Abstract
The establishment of public electronic media in Croatia is taking place against the
background of the negative experience of the role of the media in the decade of the
Balkan Wars, on the one hand, and the lack of the relevant experience or knowledge
about the public media on the other hand. During the single-party communist rule, the
media were largely treated as instruments of political propaganda. The first freely
elected Croatian government, which remained in power for ten years, continued the
game for the possession of the media relying on a similar model. At present, there is a
consensus of the public, political parties and the journalistic profession concerning the
need to establish the public media. However, in the light of the past experience and
habits, this does not automatically means that positive results will follow immediately.
The goal is being reached very slowly for a number of reasons: insufficient profile of
the public, absence of the influential middle class, inadequate respect for the rule of
law, negative professional habits. Despite the great impatience in the Croatian public
opinion, in the journalistic profession and politics, the pace of change cannot be
speeded up without threatening the stability of the most powerful medium in the
country.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
26301
URI
Publication date:
12.12.2000.
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