Velin Petkov: Deep, Heavy Dependencies Plague the Council for Electronic Media

This report delves into the concerning state of media regulation and journalistic integrity in Bulgaria, focusing on the Council for Electronic Media (CEM). The analysis suggests a troubling landscape characterized by "deep, heavy dependencies" within the regulatory body itself. Such a situation inherently compromises the CEM's ability to act as an impartial overseer of broadcast standards.

The article starkly asserts that genuine journalism has vanished from all three national television broadcasters. This is a grave indictment, implying a significant departure from public service broadcasting principles and a potential erosion of informed public discourse. The absence of robust journalism at the national level leaves citizens with limited access to reliable and diverse news sources.

Furthermore, the situation in private television channels is painted with a similarly bleak brush, summarized by the phrase "better not to." This suggests a climate of fear, self-censorship, or a lack of substantive programming that discourages meaningful journalistic endeavors. The implication is that even in the private sector, the conditions for critical and independent reporting are severely lacking, contributing to a general decline in media quality and public trust.