Slovenia's media landscape at a crossroads: The fight for independence and truth
In the heart of Europe, a small country is grappling with a major issue: the independence of its media. What at first glance appears to be a healthy press landscape reveals itself upon closer inspection as a fragile construct, undermined by state influence, partisan manipulation, and foreign funding. Slovenia stands at a media crossroads – and with it, the European ideal of media freedom.
The news agency as a test case for repression
At the heart of the debate is the national news agency STA, which at one point was on the verge of being shut down. The reason: the Government Communications Office (UKOM), which not only controls STA's funding but also regularly audits the public broadcaster RTV Slovenia. These audit reports effectively serve as an assessment of whether the content is sufficiently "Slovenia-friendly"—an unprecedented practice that has caused consternation in Western democracies.
UKOM is not simply a communications authority, but a powerful instrument of executive control. Its dual role – controlling content and administering state funds – creates a dependency that severely hinders self-critical journalism. This mechanism becomes a source of pressure on public broadcasters, particularly during election campaigns.
RTV under political control
The Slovenian public broadcaster RTV has also been targeted by political forces for years. A change in the law in 2000 fundamentally altered the composition of its programming council: instead of representatives from civil society, party members have dominated the body ever since. The result: a programmatic "balance" that, in reality, amounts to ideological control.
Journalists report an arbitrary division into "left" and "right"—a process that, according to Slovenian journalist Borut Mekina, is "related to intellectual disability." "Then you put a Nazi fascist in the studio and balance him with someone who stands for human rights. The truth doesn't lie in the middle."
Even editors-in-chief can be appointed against the will of the editorial staff, as long as the process is formally correct. In practice, the legal safeguards are too rarely effective.
Between the rule of law and Orbanization
Slovenia differs from Hungary in one key aspect: its proportional representation system prevents dominant majorities like that of Viktor Orbán. Nevertheless, the right-wing conservative government under Janez Janša pursues similar strategies. Janša is considered a close confidant of the Hungarian Prime Minister and strives to transfer his approach to Slovenia – with limited but noticeable success.
The EU reacted with pressure, particularly during Slovenia's presidency of the Council. However, the country remains structurally vulnerable: the legal framework allows too much leeway, and political actors have too easy access to public service media. At the same time, many citizens show little critical awareness of the media – or have resigned themselves to the polarization.
Quality journalism under difficult conditions
In this challenging landscape, some media outlets are bravely holding their ground. At the forefront is the left-liberal weekly magazine Mladina , distinguished by its long-form investigative reporting. The magazine's independence rests on a unique ownership structure: Mladina belongs to Slovenian minority organizations in Italy, which effectively protects it from political influence.
Even smaller portals like "Dnes online" are gaining in importance. While commercial TV channels cater to tabloid topics, print and online media strive to uphold the standards of critical journalism. But the path is fraught with difficulties – both financially and socially.
Media literacy as a shield
Slovenia is a country with high media consumption: people spend almost eleven hours a day watching TV, listening to the radio, reading newspapers, or accessing online content. Despite this, media literacy remains a weakness. While media education exists as an elective subject, a comprehensive, binding strategy is lacking.
Especially in rural areas and among older demographics, the ability to distinguish between opinion and information is limited. This makes the educational mission of the media even more important – and at the same time more difficult.
The European dimension
Slovenia is not an isolated case. But it is a prime example of how endangered press freedom can be, even in EU member states. The situation illustrates that democratic control must not only be guaranteed by law, but also actively defended. International attention, critical journalism, and a vigilant civil society are key pillars in this – not only in Ljubljana, but throughout Europe.