ZAGREB, 28 April (Hina) – The “Media Ownership and Financing” platform, a project of the Culture and Media Ministry and the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (AEM), was presented on Monday.
It contains data on media outlets and their owners registered in official registers, as well as information on revenues, methods and sources of financing, and concession data.
Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek said the project was funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Mechanism and was realised as part of a measure from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan on the establishment of media fact-checking and public data publishing systems. The platform “Točno tako”, where information verified by independent fact-checkers is published, was also launched as part of the measure, as a pilot project in the EU.
The new platform, the minister said, “is a tool that will allow all citizens insight into the ways in which media are financed, which will certainly contribute to trust in media and transparency in media work”.
She added that the platform is in line with the recommendations of the European Media Freedom Act, which is expected to be integrated into Croatian legislation by the end of the year.
AEM Director Josip Popovac said increasing transparency in media operations would contribute to mutual trust and guide citizens toward verifiable, credible and professional media.
AEM Deputy Director and project leader Robert Tomljenović said the new platform was available on the AEM website without the need for registration.
The platform relates to television, radio and online portals, as well as electronic publications of newspaper publishers, providing data on their operations as well as advertising revenue, including from public companies and institutions.
Among other things, the presentation included data about Hanza Media, a publisher with total revenue in 2023 of €36.78 million, advertising revenue from electronic publications of €7.59 million, and a market share of 3.41%.
When asked about the publication of data regarding foreign ownership of commercial TVВ stations registered in Croatia, such as Serbian media tycoon Dragan Šolak, who owns 35.88% of Nova TV, which, with around 15 affiliated electronic publications, holds a 28.5% market share, Tomljenović said this information could be found on the platform.
“Since we are part of the EU, where the single market rule applies, it is difficult to say which media belong to which nationality. What is important is that they comply with Croatian laws and aim to contribute to the development of Croatian society and the Croatian audiovisual industry,” he added.
The AEM also announced the addition of data on state advertising and advertising by public companies and institutions in local media, noting that such data is not listed in official registers. They highlighted that the relevant institutions have so far largely ignored requests for the provision of this data.
They also said they were ready to refine the platform in light of the anticipated new media laws, which may include an obligation for print media to report on financial revenues and ownership structures.
