Media trust in the Western Balkans: together apart. Regional overview
Ljubljana:
Peace Institute; South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM)
(2021), 34 pp.
"Trust in the media varies across the region, with citizens in BiH, Serbia and North Macedonia divided in around half of those that trust and half of those that distrust the media, and a higher number of citizens in Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania having trust in the media. The highest trust is expressed by citizens in Kosovo (64% of citizens trust and 35% distrust the media) and the lowest in BiH (48% of citizens that trust, compared to 49% that distrust the media). Similarly, trust in the public service broadcaster varies across the region, being the highest in Kosovo (76%) and the lowest in BiH and Montenegro (in BiH between 32% for RTRS and 43% for RTVFBiH, and 48% in Montenegro). In some countries of the region, there is a clear division of trust-distrust in the public service broadcaster indicative of an ethnic and/or political divide." (p.19)
Contents
1 Introduction: the complexity of media trust analysis, 7
2 Tightening of the propaganda feedback loop, 10
3 When everyone sings from the same hymn sheet, 11
4 Perception gap, 12
5 Research on trust in the media in the Western Balkans, 14
6 Media use: dominance of television, 17
7 Trust in the media: divided trust, opposing preferences, 19
8 Citizens' attitudes: media considered both free and controlled by political and business powers, 24
9 Gender issues: high awareness of the position of women journalists, 27
10 Conclusions and recommendations, 28
2 Tightening of the propaganda feedback loop, 10
3 When everyone sings from the same hymn sheet, 11
4 Perception gap, 12
5 Research on trust in the media in the Western Balkans, 14
6 Media use: dominance of television, 17
7 Trust in the media: divided trust, opposing preferences, 19
8 Citizens' attitudes: media considered both free and controlled by political and business powers, 24
9 Gender issues: high awareness of the position of women journalists, 27
10 Conclusions and recommendations, 28
