International Journal of Communications Law & Policy

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	Issue 2 (Winter 1998-99)

AN ANALYSIS OF MEDIA LEGISLATION: THE CASE OF SLOVAKIA

By Andrej Skolkay

Download the Paper in PDF Format: IJCLP Web-Doc 14-2-1999

Abstract

Since November 1989 new laws have changed the legal status of publishers, broadcasters and journalists in Czechoslovakia and then in Slovakia. These laws clearly reflect the opinion of political elites on what role the media should play in society in general and consequently in politics. Therefore, it is necessary to analyse them in more detail to present the rationale for this legislation and the resulting consequences of it. The focus of this article is first of all on the general framework of media regulation and then on the regulation of the broadcasting sector. Due to the limitations of this paper as well as to the extent of legislation which may influence the media only the most important and most controversial laws which positively affected the freedom of the mass media and of speech or potentially could hinder the broader exercise of freedom of the mass media and of speech will be discussed.