Impact of Economic and Cultural Factors on Television Production in Small Nations

"While analyzing Lithuanian television production (generic diversity and TV news output on public service and commercial stations), discussion here moves on several levels of analysis. More specifically, this paper addresses economic and journalistic cultural parameters as key factors affecting contemporary media changes in Lithuania and other small Baltic nations. As media practice reveals, liberalization of the media, its gradual transition from the state-funded to the market-driven model and changing conditions of professional journalism has made the media in the three Baltic countries very sensitive to market mechanisms. On the one hand, small size of media market, shrinking possibilities of media advertising and growing competitiveness among media players set up favorable conditions for commercialization and popularization of media content. On the other hand, the cultural1 factor is of no less importance when assessing TV production particularities in the countries of young democracy. Based on empirical evidence (generic analysis of TV production on different channels), the authors observe increasing emphasis on entertainment and soft programming rather than informational and analytical programs on public service and commercial television. At the same time, intensions are observed to follow the requirements of journalistic professionalism (diverse and balanced reporting) on TV news programs." [Information des Anbieters]