Media of Bulgaria

The media of Bulgaria refers to mass media outlets based in Bulgaria. Television, magazines, and newspapers are all operated by both state-owned and for-profit corporations which depend on advertising, subscription, and other sales-related revenues. The Constitution of Bulgaria guarantees freedom of speech. As a country in transition, Bulgaria's media system is under transformation.

Bulgaria's media are generally deemed unbiased, although the state still dominates the field through the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), and the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency. Bulgarian media have a record of unbiased reporting, although they are deemed potentially at risk of political influence due to the lack of legislation to protect them. The written media have no legal restrictions and newspaper publishing is entirely liberal. The extensive freedom of the press means that no exact number of publications can be established, although some research put an estimate of around 900 print media outlets for 2006. The largest-circulation daily newspapers include Dneven Trud and 24 Chasa.

Non-printed media sources, such as television and radio, are overseen by the Council for Electronic Media (CEM), an independent body with the authority to issue broadcasting licenses. Apart from a state-operated national television channel, radio station and the Bulgarian News Agency, a large number of private television and radio stations exist. However, most Bulgarian media experience a number of negative trends, such as general degradation of media products, self-censorship and economic or political pressure. Slavi's Show and Gospodari Na Efira are among the most popular TV programs, both having more than 1,000,000 views per show.

Internet media are growing in popularity due to the wide range of available opinions and viewpoints, lack of censorship and diverse content.

Legislative framework

The main legislative base is the 1998 Radio and Television Act, amended several times since. Many issues still persist in the field The EU 2007 Audiovisual Media Services Directive was transposed in Bulgarian law in 2010, including the requirements for cultural diversity.

Status and self-regulation of journalists

Violation of ethical and professional standards is often reported, particularly in the print press. Codes of Conduct for journalists have been drafted by several media and professional organizations after 1989, including the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, the Free Speech Forum and the Centre for Independent Journalism. In 2004 an Ethical Code of Bulgarian Media was drafted with support from EU experts, though it was rejected by part of the Bulgarian journalist scene.

The Ethics Committee for the Print Media and the Ethics Committee for the Electronic Media were established in late 2005 after long debate, institutionalising mechanisms of self-regulation in the Bulgarian media sector.

Media outlets

Print media

See also: List of newspapers in Bulgaria and List of magazines in Bulgaria

Freedom of expression and free competition in the media market were introduced in Bulgaria after 1989. Newspaper publishing is not regulated by law, and no audit office or official record of the number of publications exist. Over 900 print media titles were estimated in 2007, but their number is today greatly reduced after the effects of the economic crisis. The nationally distributed dailies were 14 in 2009; circulation per capita is very low.

The dominant form on the market is that of "hybrid tabloids", combining both quality press and tabloid features, including scandalous reporting, such as the dailies Trud and 24 Chasa, published by the German WAZ-Mediengruppe). The convergence is due to the failure in establishing quality broadsheets newspapers, leading instead popular dailies to extend their reach and occupy their niche. Other widely-distributed newspapers include Standart, Novinar, Express, Monitor, and Telegraph - the latter being the only one to increase its circulation during the crisis, due to a lower price. Dnevnik is deemed the most trustworthy on business and economy, but has a low circulation, together with Pari, edited by the Swedish Bonnier Group. Political newspapers include Douma, of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and Ataka, of the omonymous nationalist party.

To complement revenues from sales and advertisement, which most often do not arrive at coverning production costs, Bulgarian newspapers rely on contributions from business circles and political parties, hence opening up to avenues for political and commercial influences.

The regional print press include 10 dailies in the main towns of the country, as well as local publications coming out from once to three times per week.

Weeklies include the business-oriented Kapital and Banker, and the popular 168 Chassa and Politika, together with the specialised Kultura. Yellow weeklies (Show, Weekend, Galeria) have recently entered the market. Magazines included around 100 titled in late 2009, including Tema, Praven Svyat, and

The Bulgarian print press market was totally dominated by the German WAZ group from 1996 onwards, both at national and local level. In December 2010 WAZ Mediagroup sold all its assets in Bulgaria to a joint venture between Austrian investors and local tycoons. Until then the company had owned the two largest daily newspapers Trud and 24 hours, the weekly newspaper 168 hours, and a large portfolio of magazines.

The New Bulgarian Media Group, deemed close to the Turkish-minority Movement for Rights and Freedoms party emerged in 2007 and got own Monitor, Express, Telegraph (dailies), Politika, Weekend, Meridian Match (weeklies), the Borba newspaper and a publishing house (in the city of Veliko Turnovo).

Radio broadcasting

See also: List of radio stations in Bulgaria

From 1935 to 1989 there was a state monopoly on radio broadcasts in Bulgaria. After liberalization, the market now features a high number of private, national and local radio stations.

The sector is mainly controlled by four foreign groups: the Irish Communicorp Group, SBS Broadcasting Group (since 2007 part of ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG), US Emmis Communications, and News Corporation Group (owned by Rupert Murdoch). A Bulgarian owner, Focus, joined them in late 2009. They overall control over 20 radio stations.

The two national-coverage radio stations are the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), with two channels (Horizont and Hristo Botev), and the private Darik radio. BNP's Radio Bulgaria broadcasts abroad, as well as in 7 regional centres in the country.

Television broadcasting

Main article: Television in Bulgaria

Television in Bulgaria was introduced in 1959. Although the Bulgarian media market is small, it is one of the most vibrant and highly competitive in Central and Eastern Europe. Global players such as News Corporation, Modern Times Group, Central European Media Enterprises and Fox Broadcasting Company and others operate the biggest and most popular media outlets in the country.

Privately owned television channels started to appear immediately after the regime change. Most were associated with a cable television (CATV) network run by the same parent company. Around 1994-1995 private over-the-air broadcasters also appeared, but they usually only operated within a single area. Nova Television and 7 Dni TV (7 дни, meaning 7 days) were two of the first such channels, available only in Sofia. After bTV took over Efir 2's frequencies, another competition selected Nova Television, already popular in cable networks around the country, as the second privately owned national channel in Bulgaria. The authorities currently refuse to license further analogue terrestrial channels (including local ones), until DVB-T broadcasting is started.

Swtich off to Digital terrestrial television (DVB-T) was completed on 30 September 2013, after a 7-months simulcast period, with 96,2% of the population under DVB-T broadcasting coverage.

Cinema

Public funds for the Bulgarian cinema have dried up ater the socialist period. Bulgaria has produced three films and two documentaries per year with state subsidies, afforded under tender procedures. Sponsorships also support the Bulgarian film production.

Telecommunications

Main article: Telecommunications in Bulgaria

The Bulgarian telecommunication market, now privatised, is shared mainly among three actors: Mtel (owned by Mobicom Austria Group), Globul (owned by Greek OTE), and Vivacom (owned by American International Group Inc. with participation of the Bulgarian state). MTel and Globul dominate the mobile market, while Vivacom retains dominance on the 2.3 million landlines. Mobile phones in 2007 amounted to 9.87 million lines, with 110% penetration rate.

The telephony system features an extensive but antiquated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; quality has improved; the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators were given access to its network; a drop in fixed-line connections in recent years has been more than offset by a sharp increase in mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service providers; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now exceeds the population.

Internet

Main article: Internet in Bulgaria

• Top-level domains: .bg and .бг (proposed, Cyrillic).
• Internet users:
  • 3.9 million users, 72nd in the world; 55.1% of the population, 74th in the world (2012);
  • 3.4 million users, 63rd in the world (2009);
  • 1.9 million users (2007).
• Fixed broadband: 1.2 million subscriptions, 52nd in the world; 17.6% of population, 53rd in the world (2012).
• Wireless broadband: 2.8 million, 55th in the world; 40.3% of the population, 41st in the world (2012).
• Internet hosts:
  • 976,277 hosts, 47th in the world (2012);
  • 513,470 (2008).
• IPv4: 4.2 million addresses allocated, 0.1% of the world total, 589.7 addresses per 1000 people, 51st in the world (2012).

Media Organisations

Media agencies

The public media agency in Bulgaria is the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), establised in 1898 and regulated by a 1994 Statute. it serves all media in the country. Private web-based news agencies include Focus (now also a player on the radio market).

Trade unions

The Union of Publishers in Bulgaria (UPB) represents many owners of newspapers, magazines and books, though not all of them.

The Association of the Bulgarian Broadcasters (ABBRO) represents the interests of the radio and television industry, and includes 60 companies representing 160 licensed radio and TV stations (2007 data).

The Union of Bulgarian Journalists, stemming from its socialist roots, did not manage to establish itself as a professional organisation to protect journalists' interests.

NGOs in the media sector, dealing with media freedom and professionalisation of journalism, include Access to Information Program, Media Development Centre, Centre for Independent Journalism.

Regulatory authorities

In lack of any specific law on the printed media, there is not any specific regulatory or supervisory body either.

The Council for Electronic Media (CEM), established by the 1998 Radio and Television Act, checks compliance with regulations about advertising, sponsorship, copyright, protection of youth and minors, and considers violation complaints brought by experts and citizens. Five of its members are elected by Parliament, four are named by the President. Its independence from political and corporate pressures remains a matter of debate, and several of its actions have been controversial.