Ownership and Political Influence in the Post-Socialist Mediascape: The Case of Slovenia

​Since the proclamation of Slovenian independence in 1991, new laws governing the media have been passed in 1994, 2001, and 2005 – in each case giving rise to controversy. An effort undertaken by center-left parties in 2010 to pass yet another law, aimed this time at expanding the autonomy of Radio-Television Slovenia and narrowing the possibility for government interference, was defeated in a public referendum in which less than 15 % of those eligible to vote took part. There has also been controversy in Slovenia about ownership of the media. These controversies about the public media in Slovenia – both regarding government interference and media monopolies – are symptomatic of the transition pangs experienced throughout post-communist central and southeastern Europe, with similar controversies having erupted in most of the countries of the region.