Survey Registers Absence of Media in Some Bulgarian Regions

Sofia, October 6 (BTA) - The presence of public and private
national media is irregular across the country and is
practically absent in some locations. This is one of the main
conclusions of a survey conducted by the Centre for the Study of
 Democracy presented Tuesday at a seminar titled "Regional Media
 in Bulgaria: the Limits of Survival".

The survey covers 179 media with internet platforms in all
regional centres in the country with the exception of Sofia and
the surrounding region. Over 1,700 texts written in the first
ten days of September 2015 were reviewed.

According to the survey, there is not an office of a national
media in five of the regional centres (Lovech, Montana, Pernik,
Silistra and Yambol), while there is just one in each of another
 three regions (Vratsa, Razgrad and Turgovishte).

Just 25 per cent of the regional media have published more than
ten articles a day. About one-third publish less than an article
 a day at average, i.e. it would be difficult to include them in
 the category of daily activity, the survey finds.

Less than 30 per cent of the media have given concrete
information about their management and their owners in their
sites, while 25 per cent have not stated how they are financed
through advertisements. An enormous portion of the media have
not published the names of their teams and their functions
either.

Over 81 per cent of the analysed articles concern regional
subjects. Next come the subjects of national scope and the
smallest number of articles are dedicated to international
issues. Over 88 per cent of the analysed texts are purely
informative in character.

The survey also finds that local authorities tend to surround
themselves with loyalties. It is a widespread practice for
municipalities to maintain a considerable number of PR
specialists for mayors, their deputies, municipal councils,
intended to imply that everything is in order. In some regions,
up to 90 per cent of the budgets of the newspapers are funded by
 the municipalities.