PRIVATE MASS MEDIA EMPIRES IN CEECs: GUARANTEE OR DANGER TO THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION?
Comparative
Analysis of Poland and Slovakia
Project Timetable by Matúš Minárik
Project Duration: March 2002 – February 2003
March – April 2002
• Refining methodology and discussing the research objectives with
assigned mentors
• Project’s First Phase: Research of two Western media models (Italy
& UK)
• Background Research on Private Media in Italy
• Background
Research on Private Media in the UK
May – June 2002
• Research Trip to the UK
- participation at the Reuters Journalism Course in London
- meeting with project mentor Colin Sparks (University of Westminster)
and discussion on project goals and objectives
- library
research
• Research Trip to Italy
- participation at the Conference on Media Law, Media Freedom and Media
Policy at the European University Institute in Florence
- discussions with media experts at the European University Institute,
Florence
- library research
• Comparative Policy Paper on Media Models (Italy & UK)
- independence of mass media & freedom of expression
- legislative framework
- institutional arrangements
- political culture
- advantages and disadvantages of both models
- lesson to be learnt for CEECs
July
- August - September - October 2002
• Project’s Second Phase: Comparative Analysis of Private Mass Media
in Poland and Slovakia
• Background Research on Private Media in Poland and Slovakia
• Research of Private Media in Poland and Slovakia
- research and analysis of mass media legislation in Poland and Slovakia
- analysis of the decisions of television oversight bodies (National
Broadcasting Council in Poland and Council for Broadcasting and Retransmission
in Slovakia)
- ongoing monitoring of private television channels (TVN, TVN 24, Polsat
in Poland and Markíza, Joj, TA3 in Slovakia)
- research
and analysis of monitoring data (Institute for Media Monitoring in Poland
and MEMO 98 in Slovakia)
- interviews
with Media Experts from Universities (Cracow and Warsaw in Poland and Bratislava
in Slovakia)
- interviews with NGO representatives (Press Freedom Monitoring Centre,
Polish Journalists Association, Institute for Media Monitoring in Poland
and Centre of Independent Journalism, MEMO 98, Slovak Syndicate of Journalists
in Slovakia)
- interview at intergovernmental body – OSCE Representative on Freedom
of Media, Vienna
- interviews with policy-makers – media experts of individual political
parties
November - December - January 2002
• Research and Policy Papers on Private Media in Poland and Slovakia
- in the light of the findings of the Western media models analysis
(Italy & UK)
- independence of mass media & freedom of expression in Poland
and Slovakia
- legislative framework
- institutional arrangements
- similarities and differences of two models
- strengths and weaknesses of two models
- political culture
- policy recommendation
- broader conclusions applicable to most of CEECs
• Presentation of Policy Paper to Policy-Makers & Stakeholders
February 2003
• Co-operation on implementation of policy recommendation by individual
stakeholders
• Publishing of research findings in an international media studies
journal