Media system and media eco-system: regulatory aspects of the media system in Bulgaria

Abstract

This paper explores the regulatory aspects of the Bulgarian democratic media system as an example of the transition of an Eastern European media system from communism to democracy. The new media institutions in Bulgaria came into being after the democratic changes in the country in 1989 that replaced the totalitarian propaganda media. The democratic media system has continued to develop and diversify until today encompassing traditional and new media. Media regulation is not an element of the media system, is a crucial factor of in creating media channels and the independence of the media system. Media regulation is a guarantee of media freedom and the autonomy of media institutions. The purpose of this paper is to conclude to what extent the law has been an effective tool for strengthening the media system to the public interest in Bulgaria, provided that in any period of the transition, the interference of political and economic forces in media activities has been looming.