Commercial FM Radio in the Context of Croatia’s Media Policy

Abstract

Commercial private radios dominate the Croatian radio landscape. They have been evolving since the mid-1990s. In the last fifteen years they have been systematically financed by public funding, namely by the Fund for the Promotion of Pluralism and Diversity of Electronic Media. This paper problematizes Croatia’s media policy, which, in the recent years, has completely neglected the development of non-profit and public service broadcasting, leaving the country’s media development with market instruments and commercial content. Recent research shows that this type of radio is perceived as a monotonous musical scenery that loses listeners’ trust. The paper raises a question of further development of the Croatian media system, with a prominent role for the institutions responsible for shaping it.

Keywords

• commercial fm radio
• media system
• media policy
• croatia