Media in Process: Transformation and Democratic Transition

Description

The post-communist development of media systems has been uneven in the countries of the region. Television and newspapers, together with the emergence of social media, have had great influence on the political debate in various countries. Ownership of the media has been a factor in many instances. The integration of traditionally isolated Central/Eastern Europe into larger, worldwide trends has fundamentally changed the way we look at the media in this region. This volume proposes to address the transition of the media and communication industries in the contemporary period. The contributions discuss, among other things, the obstacles that still remain for the media to play an effective watchdog role in the new democracies, and whether the advent of the Internet and social media has helped or hindered the transformation to a powerful, independent media. The discussion further examines whether advertising agencies have targeted post-communist citizens differently than those in Western European countries and if the media markets in the post-communist region are fundamentally different than in Western Europe and North America. A second focus of the volume is the media coverage of social issues like domestic violence, which is intended to draw attention to these issues and influence policy in a more aware and open society. This establishes the trend of post-communist media following the example of western media practice. The implications of the Central European media transformation for the newly transforming media markets in the post-Soviet space suggest a new phase in the development of the medium. The impact of global influences on regional expression is an important aspect of the political and social changes that are underway. This volume makes an important interdisciplinary contribution in examining the development of the media. Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Tables and Figures List of Contributors Introduction References 1 Different Trajectories of Post-Communist Media Systems Overview Introduction Media Structures and Political Influences Foreign Ownership Media and Political Power The Media Economy and Market Journalistic Practices: Domestication of Foreign Formats and Practices Why Are There Differences Between CEE and CIS Countries? Conclusion References 2 Media Uses in Ukraine’s War with Itself Introduction The Western Media War on Russia Russophobic Rhetoric in Ukraine History and Politics Debasing the Opponent, Prolonging the War Conclusion References 3 The Belated and Bedeviled Media Transition in Serbia Introduction The Daunting Task of Facing Serbia’s Past The Beginning of Media Transition Problems and Controversies over Changes in the Media System Non-Transparent Ownership Endangers Media Freedom State Buys Influence with Budgetary Payments The Media in the Shadow of Advertising Agencies Soft Censorship and Self-Censorship Tabloidization of Serbian Society Media Strategy and New Laws Conclusion References 4 Comrades to the Rescue: Czechoslovakia in 1968 and Ukraine in 2014 Through the Lens of Izvestia Introduction From 1989 to Putin Methodological and Theoretical Framework Findings Czechoslovakia Ukraine References Online 5 Romanian Advertising During the Transition Period: Recovering National Brands Introduction The Transition Framework in Post-Communist Countries The Development of Marketing in Post-Communist Romania Romanian Advertising in the Post-Communist Transition Development of Romanian Brands after the 1989 Revolution Positioning of Surviving Brands During the Transition in Romania Target Evolution of Surviving Brands During the Romanian Transition The Main Communication Strategies that Reflect the Romanian Transition in Advertising Campaigns The Main Local Features Revealed by Advertising Campaigns from 1990 to 2014 Conclusion References 6 Interaction Networks of the Hungarian Media Introduction Political Polarization and the Media Hypotheses and Methods Issue Selection Data Collection Nodes, Connections, Properties, Modularities, and Metrics Results General Description of the Structure of Network A Clusters in Network A Centralities in Network A Group structures in Network B Conclusions References 7 The Role of Gatekeepers in the Social Construction of Reality in the Albanian News Media: Impact on the ... Introduction Theoretical Perspective The Role of News in the Social Construction of Reality Childhood as a Social Construction and the Representation of Children in Albanian News The State of the News Media in Albania Media Owners Advertising Journalists Conclusion References 8 Covering Domestic Violence Against Women in Georgian Print Media, and Problems of Journalism Ethics Introduction Previous Studies Research Questions and Methods Main Research Findings Quantitative Research Report on Qualitative Research Scandalous Coverage Identification of the Victim The Use of Victim-Blaming Language Gender Stereotypes Lack of Knowledge and Education Conclusions and Recommendations Recommendations of this Research Limits of Our Study and Plans for Future Research References Epilogue Appendix 1. List of Interviewers Appendix 2. In-depth Interview Questions Index