Central European Journal of Communication

Broadcasting a Nuclear Accident: Chernobyl on the Hungarian Radio

Dalma Kékesdi-Boldog — 2024-12-30

On April 26, 1986 a major nuclear accident occurred in the Soviet Union: Reactor No. 4 of the Vladimir Ilyich Lenin Nuclear Power Plant exploded and harmful radioactive fall-out effused. The disaster threatened most of the population of Europe who, however, could not access timely and appropriate information about the health risks, as most of the media outlets were under close authoritarian political control in throughout the countries of the Eastern Bloc. Based on an analysis of archival radio news and of political communiques, this paper describes how the Hungarian party leadership managed the communication of this crisis domestically and discusses what information, and when, was aired on Hungarian Radio (HR). Using mixed research methods, the paper reveals the impacts of loosening political control over a Soviet-type media system in the last decade of the 20th century. The paper also provides an insight into daily practices of political and editorial decision making in a communist regime in times of crisis, which is a currently understudied research field.

Environmental Politics: Could Social Media in Greece Foster the Ground for an Alternative Environmental Agenda?

Ioanna Archontaki — 2024-12-30

The sharing of news across various social media platforms has become an integral part of our daily information intake. But our understanding of the specific types of environmental news stories that gain widespread traction across diverse media platforms remains limited. In our study we examine the most popular posts appearing on Facebook and Twitter for a three-month period (September – November 2021). Our research revealed that social media users predominantly depend on traditional media outlets rather than seeking information from alternative news sources. The news shared on social media platforms primarily originates from political actors and institutions, either in the form of statements or press releases. This content tends to focus on the societal and economic implications of the crisis. Consequently, social media in Greece has not yet managed to establish an alternative narrative or agenda surrounding this issue.

Digital, Hybrid and Traditional Media Consumption and Religious Reflection

Damian Guzek — 2024-12-30

When a person incorporates a diverse selection of digital, hybrid, and print news into their media diet, scholars can analyze these sources as indicators of the user’s reflexivity on the religious content. This study broadens our understanding of the relationship between the diversity of Catholic believers’ news feeds and their capacity to conduct more critical reflection. We explore the relationship between different media diets and their related 30 in-depth interviews collected among traditional Catholic and post-Vatican II media users. Our results point to two patterns emerging between reflexivity and media consumption. The more diverse the repertoire of a given Catholic media user’s consumption, the more likely they are to engage in reflection about the content of this media. At the same time, traditionalist Catholic media consumers, consuming counterpublic, homogenous digital content, are still able to engage in deep reflection.

Less is more. Study on slow journalism outlets’ authors

Virgo Siil — 2024-12-30

The concept of slow journalism has evolved from the dissatifaction with speed-driven journalism. Discussion about this form of journalism has revolved around what it is or should be, what its goals might be, what principles it should follow, and how. Although authors play an essential role in achieving its goals, there is a lack of empirical research about their motivation and practices. I interviewed 22 authors and conducted four observations in two slow journalism outlets in Estonia. The results show that the authors are motivated by contributing to society, their autonomy, and self-fulfillment, which they were often not afforded in other outlets. However, some journalists had difficulties switching from one set of principles and values to other and experienced problems with time management, storytelling, and self-motivation. Non-journalists may bring some advantages in following slow journalism principles and working with sources.

Three publications competing for the Media and Democracy Karol Jakubowicz Award 2024

Dagmara Sidyk-Furman — 2024-12-30

Publications by scholars from Europe which are nominated for 2024 Edition of the Media and Democracy Karol Jakubowicz Award.

Katarzyna Konarska (2021). Media publiczne a demokracja: teoria i praktyka. Media publiczne Europy Środkowo‑Wschodniej [Public media and democracy: theory and practice. Public media in Central and Eastern Europe]

Adam Szynol — 2024-12-30

Anita Zawisza (2023): Przez obiektyw kamery. Postacie osób duchownych i zakonnic w polskim filmie fabularnym [Through the Camera Lens. Characters of clergymen and nuns in Polish feature films].

Joanna Sosnowska — 2024-12-30

Media self-regulation in contemporary Europe

Jacek Mikucki — 2024-12-30

Fact-Checkers as a Professional Community of Experts. The Research Project – From Idea to Implementation

Karina Stasiuk-Krajewska — 2024-12-30

The following article presents an elaborate methodological concept that, in perspective, can serve as a model for analyzing professional communities (such as journalists) understood primarily as symbolic and discursive communities. This concept was partially tested by the author during her research on the community of fact-checkers (FC) in Poland. This study used in-depth interviews. The article presents the research design and its implementation, as well as the preliminary generalized results of the study. Special attention is paid to the usefulness of the IDI method in the context of professional community research, and to the difficulties that may be associated with the use of this method.

Ainārs Dimants (1966 – 2024)

Ilva Skulte — 2024-12-30

In memoriam of Professor Ainārs Dimants - distiguished Latvian media scholar and journalist

Professor Stanisław Michalczyk (1956-2024)

Katarzyna Brzoza-Kolorz — 2024-12-30

Editor’s Introduction