The Media and Values in Macedonia between Regulation, Privatization, Concentration, Commercialization, and Pluralization

Abstract

Macedonia is a small country with a territory of 25,713 square kilometers and a population of 2,022,540 (according to the 2002 census). However, it is a country with an impressive number of printed and electronic media. Today, there are more than 160 newspapers (daily, weekly, monthly, periodically) published in Macedonia, one public broadcasting service, Macedonian Radio & Television (MRT), with two TV channels and three radio programs, 80 radio and 77 TV commercial broadcasting companies, and 63 registered cable radio and/or TV networks. There are also many satellite channels used by the public service broadcasting company and used as well by 11 private/commercial TV stations. That is, there are more than 400 media outlets in Macedonia. The question of the viability of so many media outlets concentrated in such a small country was never raised. At the same time, in the limited economic resources there is fierce competition among media, especially TV stations. Entertainment programs dominate TV listings, while there are only a few locally produced programs of any merit. News bulletins, soap opera serials, and light commercial programs make up the main content.