In Croatia, many people know that I was several times on the verge of being fired from my home media outlet, Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT), and that I received several warnings prior to dismissal. The popular program Hrvatska uživo (Croatia Live), in which I worked, was canceled without valid reason—simply because its openness diverged from the programming direction. Because of my criticism of HRT, I often heard comments like: “You’re biting the hand that feeds you,” which reflects a deep misunderstanding of the role and purpose of public service media.
I have repeatedly told general directors, as well as the Minister of Culture and Media, that this way of managing the organization and the lack of independent journalism are leading HRT to ruin and to the end of everything that the idea of public service broadcasting stands for: public interest, responsibility, and respect for the citizens who finance us.
It all began long ago, in the early nineties, when Vlado Gotovac responded to my complaints about censorship at HRT by saying: “I would pour a bucket of crap over all your heads, because I don’t see or hear you fighting against censorship.” Since then, I’ve been haunted by that imaginary bucket and I refuse to follow advice not to bite the “hand that feeds me.” Because the ones who are truly biting HRT’s hand are those who have done nothing to support free and professional public broadcasting. Those who refuse to change the Law on HRT, which allows the director-general and the majority in oversight bodies to be appointed by a simple political majority in parliament; those who yield to political pressure and censorship, and those who aim to eliminate journalism from HRT’s programming.
HRT is being destroyed by those who for years have driven out honest journalists or sidelined them, and who prefer to outsource content and technology rather than build a strong, independent program that serves citizens, not politicians.
I believe public service media are essential for any democratic society. At a time when Big Tech platforms are taking control of journalistic content, when algorithms decide which information reaches the public, and when disinformation permeates every corner of society with devastating consequences, the role of public service media is more critical than ever. As media funded by citizens, dependent on their trust and license fees, public service broadcasters should be accountable to those very citizens. They must build trust through independent, high-quality journalism and offer content free from the influence of political power, state advertising, or large corporations. Public service broadcasters, including HRT, must be spaces of freedom—not only for their own survival but also for the survival of democracy.
Unfortunately, in Croatia and in many European countries, we are witnessing the opposite trend. Reports on the rule of law and relevant international initiatives, such as the Media Freedom Rapid Response and the Media Pluralism Monitor, regularly warn of political influence over public service broadcasters. The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism emphasizes the societal and democratic importance of public service media, yet it is becoming increasingly evident that many are not adequately protected from political and financial pressures.
Across Europe, we are seeing examples of the weakening of public broadcasters—in France, Finland, Slovakia, Spain, Germany, and the UK. In Slovakia, for example, the law enables government control over editorial policy, raising concerns for the survival of independent journalism. In Galicia, journalists of public broadcaster CRTVG have been fighting political control and privatization through outsourcing for years, organizing strikes and weekly “Black Friday” protests.
In Germany, the Journalists’ Union (DJV) expressed concern over the decision not to increase license fees, resulting in the closure of numerous radio stations and reduction of specialized programming. DJV described the move as “short-sighted media policy” at a time when disinformation and propaganda are rampant. According to DJV, such measures threaten the foundations of quality journalism and increase the risk of commercialization. In the UK, budget cuts to the BBC prompted the National Union of Journalists to call it an “attack on journalism,” as shutting down popular programs and laying off journalists limits the BBC’s ability to fulfill its mission—especially at a time when trust in the media is already diminished.
The European Union has recognized the need to protect the work of public broadcasters, and Article 5 of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) regulates measures to shield public media from political pressure and to ensure their financial stability.
In light of the rise in disinformation and propaganda, strong and independent public media are more crucial than ever for preserving democratic values. The struggles of journalists to protect public broadcasters in Slovakia, Galicia, Germany, the UK, and elsewhere demonstrate just how important it is to defend freedom of speech and citizens’ right to access accurate information. Through the implementation of EMFA and with the support of journalists’ organizations like SNH, HND, and EFJ, Europe can help preserve the values without which no democratic society can function.
We are not biting the hand that feeds us; on the contrary, we are trying to defend a system that serves the citizens—a system based on the core principles of public service media: universality, diversity, and innovation. It is necessary to return to these fundamentals, because despite the development of new platforms and tools, what the audience still seeks is quality and truthful content. The survival of public service broadcasting depends on a return to honest, professional, and quality journalism. That is the only path forward, and the only purpose worth defending.
Many HRT administrations have for years acted in the opposite direction—suppressing freedom, professionalism, and journalism. Today it is clear that citizens and society will not defend entertainment programming or good movies, because they can find those on numerous commercial platforms. The journalism that has been systematically destroyed by poor leadership, bad laws, and politicians who do not understand the public good is, in fact, the only true defense of public service broadcasting. Only independent, professional, and high-quality journalism can restore public trust and defend public broadcasters—not only in Croatia, but let the change begin here. As a first step, the government should implement the European Media Freedom Act and ensure the independent appointment of HRT’s governing bodies, as well as financial stability, by amending the Law on HRT. But the real change begins in the newsroom, by strengthening quality journalism in HRT’s programming.
Maja Sever, President of the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists