ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the state of local and regional journalism in Bulgaria by drawing upon data from the Worlds of Journalism study. The second wave (2012–2016) included a representative survey with more than 27,500 journalists from 67 countries. The results show a few major differences between local and national journalists in Bulgaria. Local journalists professed a much stronger normative commitment to media law, ethics, and regulation. However, they also appeared to play a stronger accommodative role, namely they were more likely to be aiming to provide the kind of news that attracted the largest audience as well as entertainment and relaxation. Local journalists were more influenced by advertising considerations than their national colleagues, and the influence of news sources, such as government officials, politicians, and businesspeople, has increased for them. They depicted a very dire picture of the current state of journalism. Words they used to describe it were: “a total catastrophe”, “worrying”, “in decline”, “in crisis”, “critical”, “sad”, “desperate”. Key trends they mentioned were: the proliferation of “lies, manipulations and fake news”, “low professional ethics”, sensationalism, a “servile attitude”, and dependencies on politicians and advertisers. When asked whether Bulgarian media were free, 51.3 per cent said “yes, partially” and 48.7 per cent said “no”.
