Apart from general media law, electronic media are obliged to provide to the Council for Electronic Media a data on media ownership shares until 31 January every year. However, these extensive rules are not implemented properly. If some of the data required by the law exist on the web sites of the media they are not complete, not presented in a standardized way and not easy to find.  It remains unclear to what extent the regulator control implementation of these rules.  Also, it is not clear why the task of data collection on print media is entrusted to the Croatian Chamber of Economy.

 

Transparency rules for media regulators exist in Croatia, but the work of the Council for Electronic Media – that holds considerable power and manages a substantial budget –has been non-transparent for a long period. It has not ensured that legislative stipulations are implemented in practice. Merit system for nomination and appointment for members of the regulatory body is in place, specifying that members of Council for Electronic Media, appointed by the Parliament, have to be professionals with knowledge and experience in the radio, television, publishing, cultural or similar field; they have to be public persons who have distinguished themselves in public life by advocating the respect for democratic principles and the rule of law, building and promotion of the highest values of the constitutional system of the Republic of Croatia, development of civil society, defense of human rights and freedoms, as well as protection of the freedom of expression. However, in practice the nominations and appointments are often influenced by political affiliations or based on loyalty to patrons.

 

See more in the Overview of de jure vs. de facto situation for Croatia here.