Today I was talking to a group of collegues about the media situation in Slovenia and one of them joked that we actually cannot talk about the media in Slovenia, as there aren't any left. In fact, he added, we could perhaps write a story on how to find one.
It wasn't funny at all. After being away for a while (due to maternity leave) I am not used to pessimistic conversations which can be heard in different newspapers or journalists gatherings. And it depressed me to hear them. One could say, even if things are so bad, you have a choice: take it or leave it.
But there are reasons why not leave it: one, because we love what we do. Two, where could we go (if we want to stay in media industry)? In Slovenia, I've heard, journalists are censored almost anywhere.
Of course, we could try our luck abroad. But lanugage is an important tool of the journalist. And the one s/he can muster best is his/her mother tongue. So s/he sticks to his/her country. In Slovenia, there were only few new publications launched recently (among them National Geographic Slovenia, Jaz, Arzenal). The question is how many of them will survive in the long run. Besides, they look for contributors, not employed journalists.
And on the top of all that I checked the blogs on my blogroll today, and I saw that one of the journalistic blogs was turned into a pet blog. I wonder why? Perhaps because pets are a much safer topic? After all, journalists have to pay bills, dont' they? For the same reasons they keep signing new contracts which among other things prohibit them to criticize their emloyers.
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8 comments:
You really are not a person, who can judge Slovenian media situation. During maternaty leave writing for Jaz. Working for Delo and criticizing it all the time in your blog. Go fu** yourself.
You should leave!
Dear Anonymous, thank you for proving my point. And why do you bother reading this blog in the first place?
Hi Sonja, I stumbled upon your blog today. Did you use to write for Sobotna priloga? (Maybe you still do but I don't bother buying/reading Delo anymore now that the content is so tightly controlled by the government). I always enjoyed and admired your articles there. I've bookmarked your blog. And I have one of my own, though I post only sporadically--on dogs (like Borut Mekina!:) but also on politics.
Hi Jean, thank you:) Yes that's me. For the last year I wasn't writing for SP, because I was on maternity leave ...
I checked your blog. I like the pictures from Tamar. Perhaps I should also join the ranks of dog-bloggers; my golden retriever would deserve a picture "for all you wonderful people out there":)
The debates on politics, I will still have to read more thoroughly. Although I must say that from a distance I kind of like all three candidates and I am curious as to who will win the nomination.
Oh, I see, some of the right-oriented vulgar Janša's commentators even speak English! Wow.
I think the situation in media is serious, but it has always been, so we should keep on rock and rolling. Of course platforms are changing and a lot of people are disappointed, but on the end of the day it's a package deal which comes down a point of personality. I know so many people who're complaining just to make a conversation and to prove others (and themselves) that they are helpless. When I disagree, conversation soon ends. Complaining is just a form of gaining attention.
As an old sage from Dolenjska said: Kar se more nej težku!
:-)
B5
B5, I agree with you. But sometimes it feels good to complain, just to let the steam out.
Of course, we need to try to find solutions, too. For me, this blog is one of the ways. When I started it, I told myself that I will try to be positive and optimistic on this blog, that I will try to provide some good ideas. But sometimes I just have this urge to to write down what bothers me...
But I keep in mind the old saying goes: Sto ne ubija, jaca:)
@ to anonymous guy: Everyone is a person who can judge, wtf are you thinking. So Slovene... In my opinion, Journalism is not the some as working for Coca Cola like Corporation, assuming some kind of ad hoc loyality. Thanks god for a journalist who is able to think.
Jesus...
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