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This essay advocates applying a culturally and attitudinally sensitive approach to the analysis of the present-day media and digital communications-inspired societal transformations. In recent year...

Straipsnyje, remiantis nauju požiūriu, analizuojami Europos Komisijos finansuoto 6 BP tarptautinio mokslinio projekto „Adekvati informacijos vadyba“ (Adequate Information Management: (AIM) [2004-2007]) rezultatai. Tyrimo, kurį atliko mokslininkai iš vienuolikos Europos šalių, tikslas buvo atskleisti ES politinės komunikacijos specifiką bei europinių naujienų vadybos procesus, kurie lemia ES aktualijų – informacijos atrankos, analizės, naujienų redagavimo ir paskelbimo – pateikimą Europos žiniasklaidoje. Pagrindinis šio straipsnio analizės dalykas – Briuselio politinės komunikacijos kultūra, kitaip tariant, santykis tarp įvairų šalių korespondentų Briuselyje ir politikos veikėjų (politinės informacijos šaltinių). Analizuojant kokybinių interviu su korespondentais Briuselyje duomenis ieškoma panašumų tarp skirtingų šalių komuni­kacinių kultūrų, žurnalistinio darbo principų. Visa tai rodo, kad politinė komunikacija Briuselyje yra unikalus ir įdomus atvejis tolesniems tyrimams. Žurnalistams sukuriamos unikalios sąlygos pažinti ir dirbti skirtingų žurnalistinių ir politinės komunikacijos kultūrų kontekste. O mokslininkams – tai iššūkis, skatinantis kelti klausimus, susijusius su naujomis komunikacijos formomis.

From 1945 to 1990, the Lithuanian mass media served the Soviet totalitarian regime and its propaganda. Fundamental changes were possible after the restoration of the independent state of Lithuania, followed by the abolition of censorship and the introduction of media freedom and pluralism guaranteed by the new media policy and professional standards. The democratization of the media system was launched in the early 1990s, when a liberal legislative framework was introduced along with professional standards following the Western democratic media model, and most similar to the Swedish media regulation framework. Despite the institutional reforms and the new liberal media regulation framework, the media continued to struggle with flaws in the development of a professional culture. Still, changes in media policy, the media landscape in general and demand for media outputs provide new opportunities for constructive dialogue and solidarity in the journalists’ community, as well as citizens’ engagement in media monitoring activities.

This paper argues that post-communist transformations in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) must be viewed alongside reconfigurations of democratisation and social changes taking place in the West. After the political breakthroughs of the early 1990s most CEE societies adopted a capitalist logic towards the media, which resulted in uncertainty and flux, characterised by commercialisation, media fragmentation and group polarisation. This paper suggests that the CEE region, in general, should be studied as a ‘test case’ where the various problems and weaknesses of postmodern life, such as increasing consumerism, individualisation, alienation, discontent and loss of community feeling can be observed, identified and tested. It analyses transformations in the CEE mostly from a media-focused perspective and argues that the role of the state, including the political choices of elites and also forms of (unregulated) marketisation, need to be examined to better understand the outcomes and variations of democratisation in this part of Europe.

This paper gives an account on how people in Lithuania access news and how they engage in media life. By taking cultural point of view this paper shows how these findings could be interpreted in the context of broader societal changes that also have direct impact on media professional practices (such as the rise of neoliberal reasoning inspired strategies, changes in journalistic profession, and the like). It identifies at least three factors that could be considered as most decisive determinants of media use in a consolidating democracy. The paper also registers other significant developments in media field in Lithuania, namely the rise of new communicative spaces that are being formed due to new technologies and social networks offering individualized participation, information consumption, and news access. Observed developments also have dramatic effects on how both journalists and audiences react to changing conditions in contemporary media and communications.

One of the leading arguments of this paper is that contemporary Central and East European societies are a perfect example of hybrid social systems. Even more, CEE nations could be looked at as if they are ‘social laboratories’ where all controversies, trends and consequences of modern life are tested. The discussion here concentrates on CEE media transformations, and it mainly moves around the idea that media functions and journalistic routines are indirectly shaped by contextual features. Likewise, media culture is formed on the basis of contextual (political, economic) particularities and is furthermore shaped by the traditions, social relations, behaviors and norms, which characterize society in general, and not only a part of professional culture. Since journalism indirectly confirms a society’s culture, it could be said that studying media in any country could become a fascinating and inspiring exercise. For this purpose, this paper offers a conceptual model which could be further used in disclosing the cultural particularities of CEE journalism and media culture.

This article addresses the relationship between the size of media markets and content diversity online. In the Baltic countries, the Internet offers new channels with a greater diversity of information; at the same time, the increasing presence of hybrid discourses (PR-based news, promotional writing) on online media channels is creating an illusory impression of news diversity: the same sources and the same story frames are dominating online. The authors argue that new concepts (quality of information processing, media literacy) need to be taken into account to adequately assess online journalism professionalization (the changing identities and functions of journalists) in a small country.

The arguments in this article are structured around the normative ideal that the function of the news media is to support democratization, to ensure that different opinions are heard and to guarantee freedom of speech. First, the article assesses the relationship between the size of the media market and the official media policies in the three Baltic states. Second, it describes how liberal regulation, ongoing structural changes in the news market and a weak tradition of professional journalism have resulted in a proliferation of market-oriented logic in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Indeed, liberal regulation and existing media policies promote a diversity of media actors as well as content; still, in such a context, new skills are needed by consumers to critically assess available information and make informed choices — in general terms, to be media literate. Finally, this article discusses the challenges of the Baltic media as a new chance to address old problems of professional journalism.

Foreword Denis McQuail Introduction Josef Trappel, Jeanette Steemers and Barbara Thomass Part 1: European Media in Crisis: Problems, Perspectives and Definitions 1. What Media Crisis? Normative Starting Points Barbara Thomass, Hannu Nieminen, Josef Trappel and Werner A. Meier 2. Systemic Media Changes and Social and Political Polarization in Europe Aukse Balcytiene and Kristina Juraite Part 2: Media Industry Crises and Transformations 3. European Communication and Information Industries in Times of Crisis: Continuities and Transformations Laura Berges and Stelios Papathanassopoulos 4. Broadcasting is Dead. Long Live Television: Perspectives from Europe Jeanette Steemers 5. Crisis of the Commercial Media Josef Trappel, Laura Berges and Elena Vartanova Part 3: Crisis in Journalism Values, Public Communication and Representation 6. Safeguarding Newsroom Autonomy: Tensions Between the Ideal and the Actual Karin Raeymaeckers, Elena Vartanova and Aukse Balcytiene 7. Crisis of the News: The Framing of the Euro Crisis and the 'Greek Problem' Leen d'Haenens, Willem Joris and Stylianos Papathanassopoulos 8. Gender and Media in Times of Crises Karen Ross and Claudia Padovani 9. A Crisis in Political Communication? Stylianos Papathanassopoulos and Ralph Negrine Part 4: Looking to the Future: Policy Perspectives 10. Challenges and Confusion in Media Regulation: A Four Country Comparison Hannu Nieminen, Claudia Padovani, Helena Sousa and Alessandro D'Arma 11. Renewing the Public Service Media Remit Leen d'Haenens, Hallvard Moe and Barbara Thomass 12. Can Civil Society Mitigate Consequences of Crises? Anker Brink Lund Conclusions 13. Grappling with Post-Democracy: Media Policy Options Werner A. Meier and Josef Trappel

Pratarmė, skirta žurnalo numeriui, kuriame pateikiami straipsniai skaityti tarptautinėje konferencijoje Vytauto Didžiojo universitete.

Straipsnyje aptariamos žiniasklaidos transformacijos Baltijos šalyse. Remiantis Z. Baumano idėjomis, darbe nusakomas socialinės tikrovės kompleksiškumas ir nepastovumas. Greitų pokyčių ir transformacijų laikmetis yra iššūkis institucijoms ir individams. Pokyčiai daro poveikį žiniasklaidai ir žurnalistų veiklos pobūdžiui. Darbe svarstomi posovietinėje epochoje įvykę pokyčiai žiniasklaidoje, kuri neatitinka įprasto žurnalistikos supratimo modelio. Norint suvokti žiniasklaidos savitumą Baltijos šalyse, reikia sukurti savitą tyrimo modelį, įvertinantį socialinio gyvenimo pokyčius. Straipsnyje teigiama, kad socialiniai tinklai lemia profesionaliosios žiniasklaidos kaitą. Prieiga prie alternatyvių žiniasklaidos šaltinių sudaro naujus tinklus, kuriuose formuojasi savitos visuomeninių idealų, vertybių, ideologijų reikšmės, iškyla nauji politiniai ir intelektualiniai veikėjai. Šie tinklai tampa naujomis socialinėmis ir kultūrinėmis terpėmis. Alternatyvi žiniasklaida pasižymi išskirtinėmis savybėmis: aktualizuoja komentaro žanrą, viešąjį diskursą skatinančias temas. Ji įsigali greta profesionaliosios žiniasklaidos ir įprastų žiniasklaidos priemonių (savaitraščių, žurnalų, televizijos ir radijo programų). Naujos žiniasklaidos priemonės ir tinklaraščio sfera keičia įprastas žiniasklaidos raiškos formas, kinta bendravimas su auditorija. Vis dėlto pokyčiai liudija, kad gyvybiškai svarbi lieka profesionali, nešališka, objektyvi ir tiesos siekianti žurnalistika.

In this paper all arguments move around the idea that there is a very close interrelationship between the status of being an informed citizen, and public participation, activism and engagement in social life. For that reason, contemporary media are seen not just as separate channels representing ideas and interests of different groups and social divisions of society. While providing news and information, and conveying common values and ideals, any media has potential to gather people with similar interests and to encourage their involvement in public activity. Holding on such normative vision of media’s role for democracy this paper, however, shows that ‘political alienation’ (low political and associational participation, distrust in public institutions, low readership of newspapers and engagement only with entertaining content, and other issues) is among the biggest drawbacks and challenges for young democracies. Based on data from representative public opinion survey on media access and use in Lithuania, the paper further argues that the registered data of public distrust in media and general ‘apoliticism’ may be permanently reinforced by conventional mass media.

Introduction Limited scholarship, particularly in other than national languages, has contributed to a situation in which the three Baltic countries are still “terra incognita” for many scholars outside the geographic and cultural region of northeastern Europe. Because of their peripheral location and cultural marginality, it is not surprising that even today in international contexts these countries are often represented in a rather mystified, mysterious, sometimes romantic way. From the Western point of view, the Baltic countries have often represented the East, whereas for the East these countries seemed to be part of the West. This duality in interpretations, combined with the geopolitical, cultural, and linguistic marginality of the Baltic states, has contributed to the development of a certain rhetoric of intellectual preservation and self-realization (Hoyer et al., 1993; Lieven, 1994).

For the present inquiry of the performance of the news media as watchdogs of democracy in five countries (the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Lithuania), the bulk of the data was collected via desk research. Additionally, the researchers sought to fill any remaining gaps with complementary information gathered from interviews with media professionals, from a variety of publications such as official government documents, scholarly articles, and websites of the media institutions investigated in the study. Overall, the year of reference for the evidence collected was 2006. Furthermore, in the spring of 2008, expert interviews were conducted with key people whose inside knowledge has helped the researchers to evaluate and comment on a number of indicators. The picture that results from the following country-specific section is far from complete, as only a small selection of indicators (three indicators for each of the five respective countries) is discussed in detail. Within the principle of freedom, the F3 freedom indicator ‘internal rules for newsroom democracy’ looks into the autonomy of the individual members of the editorial staff. There can be no objective reporting of the news if the newsroom’s freedom is restrained. The F3 indicator applied to the media situation in the five countries studied here seeks to ascertain whether any formal rules have been established within the editorial team. An example of such a rule might be a regular procedure for appointing the editor-in-chief: Is a democratic arrangement in place that takes the opinion of all the reporters on the staff into account? Furthermore, it is relevant to investigate whether the procedure, if any, is correctly followed.

While analyzing Lithuanian television production (generic diversity and TV news output on public service and commercial stations), discussion here moves on several levels of analysis. More specifically, this paper addresses economic and journalistic cultural parameters as key factors affecting contemporary media changes in Lithuania and other small Baltic nations. As media practice reveals, liberalization of the media, its gradual transition from the state-funded to the market-driven model and changing conditions of professional journalism has made the media in the three Baltic countries very sensitive to market mechanisms. On the one hand, small size of media market, shrinking possibilities of media advertising and growing competitiveness among media players set up favorable conditions for commercialization and popularization of media content. On the other hand, the cultural1 factor is of no less importance when assessing TV production particularities in the countries of young democracy. Based on empirical evidence (generic analysis of TV production on different channels), the authors observe increasing emphasis on entertainment and soft programming rather than informational and analytical programs on public service and commercial television. At the same time, intensions are observed to follow the requirements of journalistic professionalism (diverse and balanced reporting) on TV news programs., Analizirajući litvansku televizijsku produkciju (raznolikost i televizijsku proizvodnju vijesti na javnim i komercijalnim postajama), rasprava se kreće na nekoliko razina analize. Konkretno, ovaj rad pozornost usmjerava prema ekonomskim i novinarskim kulturnim parametrima kao ključnim faktorima koji utječu na promjene u suvremenim medijima u Litvi a drugim malim baltičkim nacijama. Kao što medijska praksa otkriva, liberalizacija medija, postepena tranzicija sa državno financiranog na tržišno usmjereni model i uvjeti profesionalnog novinarstva koji se mijenjaju, učinila je medije tri baltičkih država vrlo osjetljive na tržišne mehanizmi. S druge strane, malo medijsko tržište, smanjujuće mogućnosti medijskog oglašavanja i rastuća konkurencija između medijskih igrača postavljaju pogodne uvjete za komercijalizaciju i popularizaciju medijskog sadržaja. Kulturni pak faktor nije od manje važnosti pri procijeni televizijskih produkcijskih posebnosti u zemljama mlade demokracije. Na temelju empirijskih dokaza (analiza televizijske produkcije na različitim kanalima), autorice opažaju sve veći naglasak na zabavnim i laganim programima, a manje informativnih i analitičkih programa na javnim i komercijalnim televizijama. U isto vrijeme, primijećena su nastojanja da se održi novinarski profesionalizam (raznoliko i usklađeno izvještavanje) u televizijskim informativnim programima.

This paper seeks to reassess the potential of new media in transnational political communication. It questions whether a wide availability of online news sources offering diverse views could become useful means in overcoming national (cultural and geographic) barriers in reporting about global political matters. The discussion here moves on several levels of analysis. First, it draws attention to the impact of the Internet on political communication. By relying on results obtained from research studies in international (European) news communication, it also stresses the significance of contextual factors (local political, economic and cultural conditions) in transnational political communication. The paper proposes that the Internet and social media applications (blogs, social forums) may help journalists as well as citizens to retrieve background information on complex issues of global character. Simultaneously, such online communication where common interests of citizens are recognized and addressed in less formal manner may help different audiences to develop a sense of transnational understanding which could enrich news and views communicated. On the other hand, this paper also stresses that there is no universal culture of communication; instead, all characteristics of communication are related to different political, economic, social and cultural conditions where these traditions, values and norms have developed and are sustained. The paper concludes that the communication of global political matters involves two conflicting paradigms of globalization and localism. Both of these paradigms must be adequately addressed in the analysis of the role and functions of the Internet in communication of global political matters to local audiences.

This article assesses online newspapers in Europe from a media evolutionary perspective, ten years after the introduction of the World Wide Web. Comparing print and online front pages of 51 newspapers in 14 countries in 2003, we argue that online newspapers complement print newspapers in modest ways. Online, publishers put more emphasis on service information, offer additional news items, that nonetheless report on similar topics in similar ways, and add personal interactivity, content selectivity and real-time news to the print news offering. One subset of online newspapers charges for services, and offers more content and personal interactivity. Another, partly overlapping subset offers more original news; in a short and anonymous format. Overall, however, online newspapers in Europe make up a heterogeneous group, suggesting that online newspapers still have to find their definite form and role in the European news market.

Šiandien vis daugiau komunikacijos mokslo teoretikų užsimena apie visuomenės informavimo priemonių vystymosi panašumus, kurie leidžia kalbėti apie pasaulio žiniasklaidos sistemų niveliaciją. Straipsnio tikslas - susisteminti Vakarų teoretikų aprašytus žurnalistikos vertinimo būdus ir, remiantis politinės kultūros poveikiu žiniasklaidai, paaiškinti ryškiausius šiuolaikinės lietuvių žiniasklaidos bruožus.Kol kas nėra grynojo ir universalaus europietiškos žurnalistikos modelio, bet egzistuoja tam tikra nacionalinių žiniasklaidos priemonių sistemos raidos tendencija, kurią galima atpažinti ir panaudoti kalbant apie situaciją Lietuvoje. Straipsnyje laikomasi nuomonės, kad žurnalistika - tai socialinis reiškinys. Tautinę lietuvių žiniasklaidos priemonių sistemą formavo ir istorijos vingiuose veikė objektyvūs veiksniai: iš pradžių - spaudos draudimas ir cenzūra, vėliau - verslo ir technikos naujovių skverbtis. Tačiau ne mažiau reikšmingi yra ir subjektyvūs veiksniai: šalies politinėje kultūroje užkoduotas atvirumas naujovėms ir pilietinės vertybės. Šių dienų Lietuvos žiniasklaidos sistemos pokyčių varomoji jėga - visuomenės informavimo komercialėjimas. Šiuolaikinės Lietuvos žiniasklaida yra ieškojimų kelyje. Šiaip ar taip, šiame visuotinės niveliacijos amžiuje reikia kalbėti apie skirtingas nacionalinių žiniasklaidos sistemų suartėjimo tendencijas, kurias išmokti atpažinti ir suprasti yra vienas svarbiausių lyginamosios žiniasklaidos studijų tikslų. Today more and more theorists of communication science speak about the similarities of media development, which allow talking about the leveling of the global mass communication systems. The goal of the article is to systematize the evaluation techniques of journalism described by Western theorists, and explain the most significant elements of contemporary Lithuanian media based on political culture‘s impact on it. There is no pure and universal model of European journalism yet, but there exists a certain development tendency of national media‘s systems, which can be identified and used in relation to the situation in Lithuania. This paper has the notion that journalism is a social phenomenon. The national Lithuanian media’s system was formed and shaped in the course of history by objective factors: primarily - the press ban and censorship, later - the penetration of innovations in business and technology. However, the subjective factors are not less significant: the openness to innovations encoded in the country‘s political culture and civic values. Driving force of today‘s changes in Lithuanian media’s system is the commercialization of mass media. Modern media in Lithuania is still in searching position. Anyhow, in this age of global leveling we need to talk about the different tendencies of convergence of global media systems; learning to recognize and understand them is one of the key objectives of comparative media‘s studies.

Dabartinė Lietuvos situacija yra tokia, kad naujų technologijų dėka informacijos srautai nuolat intensyvėja, plečiasi reklamos rinka, užimamos naujos informacinės erdvės ir atrandamos specializuotos nišos. Tačiau viešoji komunikacija – ne tik procesai, kurių metu keičiamasi informacija ar dalijamasi patirtimi. Komunikacijoje dalyvaujant įvairioms suinteresuotoms grupėms, atsiskleidžia informacijos kaip galios instrumento savybės: informacijos poveikiu gali būti manipuliuojama. Kai kurie pokyčiai, kaip dabartinės žiniasklaidos komercialėjimas ir bulvarėjimas, jau atpažįstami ir sulaukia kritinių pastabų. Tačiau įsisąmoninti informacijos amžiaus iššūkius dar prireiks laiko, nors, kita vertus, kai kurie žurnalistikos tinklapiai („Verslo žinios") jau dabar neatsilieka nuo analogiškų Vakaruose („The Financial Times"). Komunikacinių kanalų skaičius dar negarantuoja pliuralistinės komunikacijos, visuomenės informuotumo ir aukšto šalies demokratizacijos laipsnio. Informavimo priemonių įvairovė dar nėra pakankama sąlyga, kad būtų sukurta aktyvi , turinti tvirtą nuomonę ir pilietiškai angažuota visuomenė. Visuomenės informavimo sektoriaus persitvarkymą, kuris vyksta bendrame šalies demokratizacijos fone, veikia ištisas priežasčių kompleksas, kuris sąlygoja skirtingose visuomenėse priimamus viešosios komunikacijos sprendimus. Priežastimis gali būti ekonominės sąlygos (neliberali telekomunikacijų rinka, nepakankamas reklamos rinkos pajėgumas ar piliečių perkamoji galia). Tačiau už viešą informavimo politikos kūrimą ne mažiau atsakingos ir žiniasklaidos organizacijos, nes jos turi sprendžiamąją galią, kokia bus informacijos amžiaus žurnalistika Lithuania is currently in such a situation that new technologies contribute to constant intensification of information flows, development of the advertising market, occupation of new information spaces and discovery of specialised niches. However, public communication is not only the processes of exchanging information or sharing experience. Communication involves different concerned parties and reveals the features of information as the instrument of power: the impact of information might be manipulated. Some changes, for example, the commercialisation of contemporary mass media and its direction towards gutter-press, have been already recognised and receive critical remarks. However, we will need some time to realise the challenges of the information age; on the other hand, some journalism webpages (“Verslo žinios”) have been keeping in step with analogical webpages in the West (“The Financial Times”). The number of communication channels does not yet guarantee pluralist communication, public awareness and high degree of the country’s democratisation. The diversity of media is not a sufficient condition for creating active, civil-minded society, holding a firm opinion. Reorganisation of the mass media sector, which is in the process in the overall background of the country’s democratisation, is affected by a number of causes which determine public communication decisions made in different societies. These causes might be economic conditions (non-liberal telecommunications market, insufficient capacity of the advertising market or the citizens’ purchasing power). Yet mass media organisations are no less responsible for the public creation of information policy, because they have the decisive power as to what the journalism of the information age will look like.