Media monitoring of the latest news about the media and advertising markets of Central and Eastern Europe
Czech Brewer Mocks #MeToo, Calling It a ‘Pathological Campaign’
A social media posting by a major Czech brewery that appeared to mock the #MeToo movement has prompted strong reactions, drawing praise, criticism and some soul-searching on sexism in this former communist republic.
May 2
#czechrepublic
Czech Republic's shrinking media landscape reflects declining press freedom
A Slovakian journalist was murdered, and in Hungary and Poland media are coming under increasing pressure from the ruling Fidesz and PiS parties. But changes for the worse in the Czech Republic are less well known.
May 3
#czechrepublic
Are Serbia’s tax inspections being used as a tool to curb the press?
“It’s difficult for me to believe that the motives behind so many frequent and intense inspections are anything but political,” Predrag Blagojević, editor-in-chief of Južne Vesti told Mapping Media Freedom. But what was the trigger?
May 3
#serbia
The advertising market in Russia and Ukraine continues to boom
In 2017, the Russian and Ukrainian advertising market reached their highest growth rate of the last three years, according to the weCAN advertising agency.
May 4
#ukraine #russia
The fake news Russians hear at home
“In some countries, children are being taken from their families if these families refuse to propagate homosexuality. No, not in Russia — in Europe.” — Russian television.
May 4
#russia
Crimean Activist Gets Prison For Pro-Ukraine Social-Media Posts
A Crimean activist has been sentenced to two years in prison over pro-Ukrainian comments made on social media, a ruling that activists say is unprecedented.
May 5
#ukraine #russia
Lithuania's decision to suspend broadcast of the Russian language channel "RTR Planeta" complies with EU rules
The European Commission decided, on 4 May 2018, that the Lithuanian regulator's measure to suspend for twelve months the retransmission of a Russian language channel "RTR Planeta", due to incitement to hatred, is compatible with EU law.
May 8
#lithuania
Polish channels expand in Lithuania
Three channels operated by the Polish public broadcaster TVP – TVP Info, TVP Polonia and TVP Historia – can now be received terrestrially in Lithuania.
May 9
#poland #lithuania
Right-Wing Hungarian Media Moves Into the Balkans
Hungarians with links to the country’s pro-government media have embarked on a mass buy-up of news outlets in Macedonia, part of what appears to be a concerted push into the Balkans by media companies loyal to right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
May 9
#hungary #balkans
FIFA's head of media Hans Hultman: no daily media briefings at the World Cup
The FIFA World Cup in Russia is just around the corner with several of thousands media television, radio, print, web – all descending on the country for the month-long football jamboree. FIFA's head of media Hans Hultman explained the media operations for the tournament at the AIPS Congress. He confirmed that there will no daily media briefings in Russia.
May 9
#russia
Croatia's anti-trust regulator approves Nova TV sale to United Group
Croatia's anti-trust regulator, AZTN, said it has approved the sale of TV broadcaster Nova TV to Slovenia Broadband, a subsidiary of multi-play operator United Group.
May 9
#croatia
United Group to invest over 600 mln euro in SEE in five yrs
Private multi-play telecoms and media provider United Group will invest over 600 million euro ($713.6 million) in Southeast Europe (SEE) over the next five years, the EBRD, a minority stakeholder in the company, said on Wednesday.
May 9
#see #cee
Bill Aiming to Restrict Gambling Advertising in Bulgaria Gains Support from Two Major Parties
Gambling advertising could be restricted further in Bulgaria as a bill on the matter gained earlier today support from the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party (GERB) as well as from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), in a rare case of political concord on a given issue between the country’s major parties.
May 10
#bulgaria
Here's What We Learned From the Ads Bought by Russian Trolls in 2016
House Democrats released over 3,500 ads from Instagram and Facebook Thursday that were purchased by Russian operatives in an effort to disrupt the 2016 presidential election.
May 10
#russia
The Bulgarian Council for Electronic Media is Finally Planning to Regulate Online Media as well
“The Radio and Television Act is a fairly "narrow garment", the regulation has to change with its sector, there is overregulation in the radio and television, and the online space is completely out of regulation, and actually the dangerous phenomena go right from there", announced on bTV Chairman of the Council for Electronic Media Sofia Vladimirova.
May 10
#bulgaria
Advertising in Bulgaria Still Dominated by TV in 2017
Bulgaria’s advertising business continues to grow. The largest sector of that business remains rooted in the television ads, despite the prognosis that the Internet will completely kill TV soon.
May 11
#bulgaria
Ukraine raids Russian media outlets, arrests journalist
Ukraine’s state security agency raided offices of two Russian state-owned media outlets in the Ukrainian capital Tuesday and leveled treason accusations against a journalist, a move that drew sharp criticism from the top trans-Atlantic security and rights group.
May 15
#ukraine #russia
A Year After Ukraine’s Ban on Russian Social Media: What’s Changed
It is exactly one year since Ukrainian society faced the news that President Poroshenko had signed a decree banning some of their favorite Russia-based social media sites.
May 16
#ukraine #russia
Serbia's anti-trust body approves sale of SNTV to KKR's
Serbia’s competition regulator said it has approved the acquisition of First Serbian Science Television (SNTV) by Luxembourg-based United Media, a subsidiary of US investment firm KKR.
May 17
#serbia
Czech Republic: Space for Internet video ads on TV increasing
HbbTV technology has opened the door for Internet video ads on TV. Since its arrival, classic video ad blocks are no longer the only way to show viewers ads. Space for this form of advertising is now growing rapidly and has reached beyond the borders of the Czech Republic.
May 17
#czechrepublic
Russia’s Gazprom advertises in Kyiv ahead of Champions League final
A banner bearing the logo of the Russian state gas company Gazprom was spotted on May 21 at the football fan zone set up in central Kyiv with regard to the upcoming 2018 Champions League final game.
May 21
#russia #ukraine
Hungary’s regime is exporting instability and propaganda to the Balkans
An investigation conducted by independent Macedonian news outlet Nova TV has found that some of the media that drove right-wing populist propaganda in Macedonia during the tenure of the Russia-supported VMRO-DPMNE (2006-2017) administration were financed through Hungarian crony companies.
May 22
#hungary #balkans
Moscow, escalating tensions with London, investigates British media
Russia announced on Wednesday it had begun analyzing the output of British media working on its territory with a view to opening formal investigations into its objectivity, a response to what it called British attempts to curb Russian media.
May 23
#russia
U.S. Company Announces Further Developments in Romania Media Investments
On April 20th, Ellaal Goldberg Corporation, a U.S. holding company based in Washington, DC that is the majority shareholder of Ellaal Goldberg, SA, a company incorporated in Romania, announced that it will invest as much as 50 million USD in the in the Romanian communications and media market, including 20 million USD in the first year.
May 23
#romania
BR Exclusive. Marcomm firms in Romania embrace freelancing trend
Accounting for a projected 40 percent of the American workforce by 2020, freelancing is going mainstream all over the world. BR talked to local marketing professionals to find out how the trend is reshaping the Romanian scene.
May 23
#romania
PPF files for regulatory nod to acquire Bulgaria's Nova Broadcasting
Czech-based investment group PPF has filed for clearance by Bulgaria's competition regulator to acquire a 95% stake in Bulgaria's Nova Broadcasting Group from Sweden-based entertainment company Modern Times Group (MTG), according to a notice published on the regulator's website.
May 23
#bulgaria #czechrepublic
European Digital Advertising market has doubled in size in 5 years
The European Digital Advertising market reached €48bn in 2017 compared with €24.8bn in 2012
May 23
#cee
Orange Slovakia to launch exclusive sports channel
Orange will launch an exclusive sports channel in Slovakia in August that will show such competitions as the UEFA Champions League.
May 24
#slovakia
Facebook is now labeling political ads to try and prevent another Russian situation
Facebook on Thursday will start labeling political and issue ads on the social network — a move intended to keep foreign governments from buying ads that might influence U.S. voters.
May 24
#russia
Ukraine adds Russian tycoons and news agency RIA to sanctions list
Ukraine has put Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska, whose company Rusal owns a large alumina plant in the country, and other prominent Russians on an expanded sanctions list, a document on the president’s website showed on Thursday.
May 24
#ukraine #russia
Interview: The Bulgarian version of GDPR is a threat to the few independent media in Bulgaria
In an interview with Bulgarianpresidency.eu lawyer Alexander Kashumov of the Access to Information Program (AIP) warns that the Bulgarian adaptation of the directive poses a huge threat to the independent media in the country. Krassen Nikolov spoke to him.
May 24
#bulgaria
Serbia Broadband starts Belgrade digitisation
Serbia Broadband (SBB) has begun to offer free digital TV signals in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. In a statement, the company says this is the first step in a five-year investment plan in the country’s digital.
May 24
#serbia
“Print it Yourself”: Hungarians Strike Back After Press Crackdown
Hungarians revive the Samizdat tradition to break Viktor Orbán’s grip on the media, as a press crackdown continues following his threats of postelection “revenge”.
May 28
#hungary
Czech Lawmakers Bury Wider Funeral Service Ad Ban
Czech lawmakers on Wednesday defeated a proposal to widen an advertising ban on funeral services to the surroundings of hospitals and social and health centres.
May 30
#czechrepublic
Poland Launches National Media Campaign to Warn Against FX, Crypto Investments
The TV campaign is scheduled for June, and it’ll be accompanied by radio ads and a video for social media.
May 30
#poland
Latvia Keeps Trying to Ban Russian Mass Media
The Latvian authorities keep looking for ways to banish the Russian mass media and to strengthen media environment of the Republic. Currently, the Parliament is to discuss amendments to the law on online media sources, IA Sputnik informs.
May 31
#latvia #russia
Arkady Babchenko tells media he was taken to morgue for staged 'murder'
The Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko has described how his own death was dramatically faked, in an extraordinary operation involving a make-up artist, pig’s blood and a trip by ambulance to the morgue where he cleaned himself up and watched news of his “murder” on live TV.
May 31
#russia #ukraine
Reporters quit Slovak public broadcaster to protest at political pressure
Twelve reporters from Slovakia’s public TV and radio broadcaster RTVS quit on Thursday in protest at what they called creeping political pressure.
May 31
#slovakia
Romanian telecom group finalizes takeover in Hungary
Digi Communications, one of the most important telecom groups in Romania and Hungary, finalized on Wednesday, May 30, the acquisition of Hungarian telecom operator Invitel for EUR 135.4 million. The transaction was signed in July 2017.
May 31
#romania #hungary
Photo by Les Anderson on Unsplash