Naslov
The Changing Role of Public Service Media in a Globalized World

Autori
Car, Viktorija

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Third International Conference "Media Accuracy - Challenges of Globalization and Specifics of the Region" - Book of Abstracts / Turčilo, Lejla ; Buljubašić, Belma - Sarajevo, 2012, 14-16

ISBN
978-9958-598-44-9

Skup
Third International Conference "Media Accuracy - Challenges of Globalization and Specifics of the Region"

Mjesto i datum
Sarajevo, Bosna i Hercegovina, 28.09.2012. - 29.09.2012

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Recenziran

Ključne riječi
public service media ; globalization ; HRT

Sažetak
In digitally globalized world of media, public service broadcasters over the Europe become alike in program principles and formats. The content itself stays different just because of different languages, history, social norms and habits, but visual dimension of television has almost the same design in a globalized world, and the same role has the music on the radio. The aim of this paper is to examine what is the position and which are the opportunities of the Croatian public service radio-television in such changing setting. Croatian Radio-Television (HRT) has the status of a public entity whose activities, delivery of public service, financing, management, control and mode of operations are governed by the HRT Act (Official Gazette, 76/12). HRT performs public service broadcasting activities and the Republic of Croatia provides for its autonomous and independent financing through the license fee. In the recently adopted the HRT Act, debated during the year of digital switchover, the public broadcaster committed to providing audio and audiovisual media services, multimedia services and other online services. As switchover happened in Croatia almost two years ago, it is obvious that the opportunities offered there are not being used. Public television remains the only national television channel that has not launched new specialized television channels although it has obtained two (free of charge) reserved multiplex places for their programs. One specialized channel is planned to be a news channel, and the other one will be a “family channel.” Both channels were scheduled to start broadcasting on 15 May 2011, on the 55th anniversary of Croatian Television’s first broadcast, but they did not. Digital switchover of terrestrial platforms created conditions for larger audience reach of public service media, but the process of developing new programs and its implementation is very slow. HRT was poorly prepared for this process. Its management lacks will, equipment and money to do so. Over the years, HRT has become a bloated and inefficient organization, and the slow take-up of opportunities offered by digitization has made this glaringly obvious. Instead of being the flagship of the digitization process, today HRT is the only national television channel in Europe that still broadcasts in 3:4 format and has never launched any new programs. It was expected that public service radio-television would be at the forefront of the digitization process paving the way for commercial radio and television. However, this did not happen. Globally, development of new digital media (online media) has definitely had an impact on public service radio-television production, especially on news production. News is often packaged in smaller formats now. News stories have become shorter, and images more important than the written text. Information can be easily searched, so it has become standard that everything can be published. Even someone’s private Facebook status can be used as news. However, traditional public service media reporting in Croatia has not yet faced up to the major challenges posed by digitization. Journalists and editors are not fully taking advantage of the opportunities and challenges of interactivity. Meanwhile, the future viability of traditional media is in question. The public service mission of the media in Europe is generally seen as essential by society, and citizens are ready to support it by paying the license fee. However, at the same time, HRT is widely criticized by the public, other media outlets, and media experts for not fulfilling its public service mission. The main areas of criticism relate to the commercialization, popularization and even tabloidization of HTV’s content. It is obvious that public service provisions have become less significant in recent years, especially in news programs. Digitization is not to “blame” for this, but rather HTV’s editorial policy—which led to its loss of credibility in news programming, and the lack of audience interest in other programs because the program schedule is seen as somewhat outdated and not focused on serving the public interest. Newest changes since summer 2012 give some hope for brighter future on HRT, but it too early to criticize. In the meantime, audience fragmentation increased, and younger generations favor new digital media and interactive content, and social television over scheduled and packaged programming. The greatest opportunity for HTV is to develop new media content and interactive services. Once there is a commitment to invest in such programs and services, they will attract more audience, and that will not happen because of its popular and populist content, but especially because of the reliable, interactive content created for public good.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Informacijske i komunikacijske znanosti

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