Media policy in Croatia has been evolving as a result of the transitional systemic changes that have deeply affected the character and functioning of the media
Croatia: A dynamic evolvement of media policy”, in Understanding media policies: A European perspective, 2012
Media policy in Croatia has been evolving as a result of the transitional systemic changes that have deeply affected the character and functioning of the media and other communication processes.
The privatization and liberalization of broadcasting have led to new responsibilities for institutions and individuals involved in media policy. Their functioning has been uneven and has been strongly influenced by European policy-making processes and efforts to adapt to the European Union regulations. The governance aspects demonstrate a dominant role of the state in the transfer of the EU generated media regulations to Croatia and in the shaping of media policy. This role appears to be ambivalent in balancing public, private, local and European influences. The problem of adaptation to European standards clearly reflects policy transfer and policy convergence trends.
Nevertheless the recently developed Croatian media regulations do not fully apply to local situations and cannot always inspire the formulation of appropriate rules. In this situation the media organizations, both private and public, follow their short-term economic and political interests, evade regulations and opt for ‘quick solutions’ in the still loosely structured media market and within the media organisations themselves. The contemporary media landscape reflects technological advances, the establishment of new media services and markets, and an evident plurality of the media. The media industry has been constantly growing and the transformation of the various media and media markets is clearly visible. Institutions and regulations have been transformed at a much slower pace. This creates an important gap which leads to problems in the overall functioning of the media and to difficulties in public communication. One of the main challenges for the improvement of media regulation and policy is the bridging of this gap. (Source: http://bib.irb.hr/prikazi-rad?rad=600720)