The Media in Southeastern Europe – Socialism, Transition, Capitalism

Abstract

The Introduction to this volume presents an approach rarely used in the analysis of media in Southeastern Europe. Through the interpretive framework of the theme of capitalism, it examines the advantages of applying this research paradigm to the region. After 1989, capitalism succeeded socialism in the countries in the region. To understand what happened under the new common denominator imposed by the market, this Introduction first looks at the legacy of socialism in the media sphere. Following this line of analysis, the text identifies some important typologies in the media systems of the region focusing specifically on Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Croatia. The homogenizing effects imposed by capitalist-oriented globalization is discussed along with an analysis that traces the crises emerging in journalism. This profession is often practised in the zone of tensions between democracy and capitalism and the Introduction’s focus on these crises exposes the threats to media pluralism.