818

WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS – WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2009

SLOVAKIA

Media Market Description

General economic situation
Slovakia has made significant economic reforms since its
separation from the Czech Republic in 1993. Reforms to
the taxation, healthcare, pension, and social welfare
systems helped Slovakia to consolidate its budget and get
on track to join the EU in 2004 and to adopt the euro
in January 2009. Major privatizations are nearly
complete, the banking sector is almost entirely in foreign
hands, and the government has helped facilitate
a foreign investment boom with business friendly
policies such as labor market liberalization and a 19%
flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive sector has
been strong. Slovakia’s economic growth exceeded
expectations in 2001-08 despite the general European
slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 18% in
2003-04, dropped to 7.4% in 2008 but remains the
economy’s Achilles heel. The inflation rate was estimated
at 4.7% in 2008.

Performance of newspapers vs. other media
The independent media were active and expressed
a wide variety of views without restriction, although
state-owned television and wire services were subject to
political influence by the government. There were
reports that directors of Slovak Public Television exerted
pressure in the news department to provide favorable
coverage of governing coalition events and activities.

Performance of different types of newspapers
Due to continuing economic growth, the newspaper
industry was growing as well. Because of the global
financial and economic crisis, a decline in the newspaper
industry was reported in the first months of 2009.

Relationships between the press and the government
continued to be tense in 2008.

National dailies continued to hold a dominant position
in the newspaper market; regional and local titles were
generally marginal.

National dailies, especially Novy Cas, Pravda, and Sme
recorded a circulation decline. Circulation of
Hospodarske noviny was stable and that of Plus 1 Den
was growing.

On November 18, 2008, Pravda daily once again
changed its format to even smaller tabloid (from 40 x 29
cm to 31 x 23.5 cm). In 2006, Northcliffe International,
a subsidiary of Daily Mail and General Trust plc (UK),
acquired Slovakian publisher Perex AS. Perex publishes
Pravda, Slovakia’s oldest national title. Pravda in the new
format is printed at a printer in Hungary, owned by the
DMGT.

Advertising
Advertising revenues of top Slovak publishers grew in
2008, but the first months of 2009 showed a year-on-
year decline.

Broadcasting still attracts the biggest share of
advertising, especially the two main commercial TV
stations, TV Markiza (owner Central European Media
Enterprises – CME) and TV Joj (owner J&T), and the
public service broadcaster, Slovak Television.

Newspapers and magazines were generally doing well,
even in comparison with other media. For comparison,
in 2007 the major publishing companies reported the
following advertising revenues: Ringier Slovakia
EUR48.48 million, Petit Press EUR31.3 million, and
Perex ñ DMGT EUR12.22 million. On the other hand,
in the same year TV Markiza – CME reported
advertising revenues at EUR84.87 million, TV Joj
EUR31.67 million and Slovak Television EUR64.36
million (including license fees).

In 2008, monitored Slovak web sites earned advertising
revenues at EUR24.6 million, compared to EUR16.3
million in 2007.

Online / Digital Publishing
There were no government restrictions on access to the
Internet or reports that the government monitored
e-mails; however, police monitored web sites hosting
hate speech and attempted to arrest or fine the authors.
The law defines hate speech as speech that publicly
threatens an individual or group based on nationality,
ethnicity, race, skin color, or that publicly incites the
restriction of rights and freedoms of such an individual
or group. Individuals and groups could otherwise engage
in the peaceful expression of views via the Internet,
including by e-mail. Internet access was generally
available across the country.

The amount of online content continued to grow,
especially due to rising Internet access opportunities.

In 2008, Sme.sk (the online edition of Sme daily) had on
average 970,000 monthly unique visitors, Cas.sk (Novy
cas – Ringier) 340,000, and Pravda.sk (Pravda –
DMGT) 460,000. The web site of TV Markiza,
Markiza.sk, had on average 530,000 monthly unique
visitors.

Top stand-alone news websites, that is those which do
not publish a print edition, included Topky.sk
(Zoznam.sk) with 800,000 monthly unique visitors,
Aktuality.sk (eTechnologies) with 580,000 monthly
unique visitors, and combined search-engines and news
portals like Zoznam.sk, Azet.sk, Atlas.sk, or Centrum.sk.

WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS – WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2009

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SLOVAKIA

Other online projects involved mobile telephony and
digital television.

Ownership
Newspaper ownership regulation remained generally
loose. There were no special laws dealing with the issues,
except for cross-ownership between broadcasting and
newspaper industry, which was generally prohibited, and
the cap on mergers within the Antitrust Law.

Consolidation of press ownership continued. Dominant
press publishers are Ringier (Novy cas daily), Petit Press
(Sme daily, since 2009 partially owned by Rheinisch-
Bergische Druckerei- und Verlagsgeselschaft),
Spolocnost 7 Plus (Plus 1 den), Bauer Media, and Perex
(Pravda daily, owned by the Daily Mail and General
Trust, UK).

Early in 2009, a half of the Petit Press publishing
company, previously owned by Passauer Neue Presse,
was sold to another German publishing group,
Rheinisch-Bergische Druckerei- und Verlagsgeselschaft.
The acquisition was materialized through its subsidiary
Media Group RP, which holds the Czech publishing
company Mafra, the publisher of Czech national dailies,
including Mlada Fronta Dnes and Lidove Noviny.

Media / Press Laws
The constitution and the law provide for freedom of
speech and of the press; while the government generally
respected these rights in practice, it sought to limit
actions of extremist groups.

The law prohibits the defamation of nationalities, which
is punishable by up to three years in prison, and denying
the Holocaust, which carries a sentence of six months to
three years.

Members of government took several actions that
observers believed were intended to pressure the media
to curtail reporting critical of the government.

In February 2008, two journalists from the weekly
Zurnal were charged with leaking classified information
and fined 15,000 koruna (approximately USD714) by
the National Security Office. Journalists from several
leading media outlets declared this an “absurd”
limitation of the press. On July 30, prosecutors dropped
the case.

On June 1, 2008 a new media law went into effect that
requires publishers to print responses to any “statement
of fact that impinges on the honor, dignity, or privacy of
a natural person, or the name or good reputation of
a legal entity.” The law requires publishers to print
replies on the same numerical page and space as the
original article, regardless of whether the original
statement was factually correct. Journalists and
publishers opposed the law because it could force them

to print official government responses without the
opportunity for a counterresponse. On two days in
March and April 2008, all Slovak dailies (except for
Sport) were printed with a blank front page, including
only a protest text against the new media law. The most
controversial part of the law gives the right of reply to
political elites, like the government. Miklos Haraszti, the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s
representative on freedom of the media, regretted the
law’s adoption and said, “Instead of handling the right to
correction or reply in compliance with the standards,
Slovakia is forcing its media to become subject to
political give and take. This goes against the country’s
international commitments to protect the freedom of its
media.” Publishers worried that the law would incite
a chain reaction that would damage newspaper’s
content. In 2008 and in the early 2009, the worries did
not materialize to a large extent.

On July 29, 2008 the Constitutional Court refused the
newspaper Pravda’s appeal of the February 2006 regional
court ruling ordering it to apologize and pay damages of
four million koruna (approximately USD190,500) to
a former Supreme Court chairman and the current
minister of justice for news stories and cartoons alleging
judicial corruption.

In September 2008, the Bratislava District Court
adjourned the trial of Prime Minister Robert Fico’s libel
suit against the publisher of the weekly Trend. Fico filed
the suit in response to the cover story “Thief of Your
Future Pensions” published in Trend in September 2007.
The article reported on efforts of the Fico government to
roll back pension reform introduced under the previous
government.

On November 14, 2008, Bratislava Regional Court
ordered Slovak broadcaster Radio Viva to pay over
EUR30,000 in libel damages to a Slovak judge, in
connection with a 2004 report on fraud charges brought
against him. The report – an item in a regular evening
news broadcast – was based on comments made by then
Interior Minister Vladimír Palko at an official press
conference. The Court found that a statement made by
the news-presenter during the report, in which she
paraphrased Palko’s words, was “incorrect and truth-
distorting.”

The 14 November ruling against Radio Viva, formerly
known as Radio Twist, was handed down by the
appellate court for a statement broadcast in an item on
its 18.00 news report of 7 October 2004, reports IPI
Slovakia. Originally, a Bratislava district court had ruled
that the entire news item was libellous. The news item
featured quotes from former minister Palko taken during
the course of an official press event, in which he
announced that criminal charges were to be pressed
against a judge for allegedly falsifying documents.
During the press conference, Palko clearly stated that the

820

WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS – WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2009

SLOVAKIA

Map: CIA – The World Factbook

judge had committed fraud. The Radio Viva news
broadcast later that evening contained recorded quotes
taken at the press conference. Following one of these
quotes, the Radio Viva news-presenter paraphrased
a statement made by Palko at the conference; referring to
the issue of a warrant which the judge allegedly altered,
Palko had said: “(...) whereby he (the judge) did
something that may not be done. That was fraud.” The
Radio Viva presenter reworded this for the purpose of
brevity, stating that: “The judge did in fact issue such
a warrant. Shortly afterwards, he falsified it.” The
recorded quote then continued immediately after the
statement, containing Palko’s description of how the
judge had allegedly perpetrated the fraud.

Radio Viva had stated clearly at the beginning and at the
end of the news broadcast that the matter referred to
allegations against the judge. Nevertheless, Bratislava
Regional Court ruled that this particular statement was
libellous, and ordered Radio Viva to pay approx.
EUR32,000 in damages. The only domestic option now

available to Radio Viva is an appeal to the Constitutional
Court. Failing this, Radio Viva has indicated its
intention to take the case to the European Court of
Human Rights if necessary.

Copyright
The Slovak Press Publishers Association (ZVPT) has
been lobbying for stricter laws regarding copyright
infringement.

Printing & Distribution
In 2008, the Grafobal Group of the Slovak entreprenuer
Ivan Kmotrik continued to hold a dominant position in
press distribution.

State Support
There is no state support provided to privately-owned
newspapers. The state has been supporting the press
agency TASR-Slovakia and public service broadcasters,
the Slovak Radio and the Slovak Television.

Source: CIA – The World Factbook; US State Department; International Press Institute (IPI); Branislav Ondrasik,

Slovak Press Publishers Association (ZVPT); Pravda; Sme

2.a

Population by age and sex (2004)

Age

All individuals

Male

Female

000

%

000

%

000

%

0-14

1,102

21

564

22

538

20

15-24

820

15

418

16

401

15

25-34

792

15

401

15

390

14

35-44

779

14

391

15

387

14

45-54

754

14

369

14

385

14

55-64

473

9

214

8

260

9

65 +

658

12

255

10

404

15

Total

5,378

100

2,612

100

2,765

100

Source: Statistical Yearbook of the Slovak Republic 2004

Social class

All adults

Male

Female

000

%

000

%

000

%

A+B

338

16

135

11

203

21

C1

548

25

191

16

357

37

C2

507

23

402

34

105

11

D

535

25

356

30

179

18

E

234

11

113

9

121

13

Total

2,162

100

1,197

100

965

100

Source: Statistical Yearbook of the Slovak Republic 2004

2.b

Population by social class and sex (2004)

Occupancy

Households

000

%

1 person

500

26

2 people

409

22

3 people

340

18

4 people

395

21

5 or more people

256

14

Total

1,900

100

Source: Statistical Yearbook of the
Slovak Republic

2.ca

Households (occupancy)

(2005)

2.cb

Households (children)

(2005)

Children

Households

000

%

Without children

1,128

59

With children

772

41

Total

1,900

100

Source: Statistical Yearbook of the
Slovak Republic

2.d

Housewives (co-habiting

persons) (2005)

Age

Housewives

000

%

Under 25

540

29

25-34

872

47

35-44

295

16

45-54

95

4

55-64

49

2

65 +

49

2

Total

1,900

100

Source: Statistical Yearbook of the
Slovak Republic

WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS – WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2009

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SLOVAKIA

Change (%)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2008/04 2008/07

Total dailies

11

10

10

10

10

-9.09

0.00

Total paid-for dailies

10

10

10

9

9

-10.00

0.00

National paid-for dailies

7

7

7

7

7

0.00

0.00

Regional and local

3

3

3

2

2

-33.33

0.00

paid-for dailies
Morning paid-for dailies

8

8

8

8

8

0.00

0.00

Evening and afternoon

2

2

2

1

1

-50.00

0.00

paid-for dailies

Total free dailies

1

-

-

1

1

0.00

0.00

Regional and local free dailies 1

-

-

1

1

0.00

0.00

Total paid-for Sundays

-

1

1

1

1

-

0.00

National paid-for Sundays

1

-

1

1

1

1

-

Source: 2004-2007 ZVPT; 2008 ABC SR; ZVPT

Excluding advertising titles

1

Novy Cas Nedela published by Ringier Slovakia a.s.

3.a

Number of titles

(000)

Change (%)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2008/04 2008/07

Total dailies

490

496

533

513

508

3.67

-0.97

Total paid-for dailies

480

496

533

505

505

5.21

0.00

National paid-for dailies

425

450

490

468

468

10.12

0.00

Regional and local

55

46

43

37

37

-32.73

0.00

paid-for dailies
Morning paid-for dailies

462

483

521

500

500

8.23

0.00

Evening and afternoon

18

13

12

5

5

-72.22

0.00

paid-for dailies

Total free dailies

10

-

-

8

3

-70.00

-62.5

Regional and local

10

-

-

8

3

-70.00

-62.5

free dailies

Source: ZVPT

3.b

Total average circulation per issue

(mln)

Change (%)

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2006/02 2006/05

Total paid-for dailies

156.0 154.9 145.7 140.2 145.7

-6.60

3.92

National paid-for dailies

-

-

134.4 131.4 136.9

-

4.19

Regional and local

-

-

11.3

8.8

8.8

-

0.00

paid-for dailies

Source: ABC SR

4.a

Total number of copies sold or distributed annually

(Slovak koruna, mln)

Change (%)

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2006/02 2006/05

Total paid-for dailies

1,560 1,418 1,534 1,501 1,530

-1.92

1.93

National paid-for dailies

-

1,471 1,45

1,425 1,450

-

1.75

Regional and local

-

89

84

76

80

-

5.26

paid-for dailies

Source: 2002-2004 TNS A-Connect; 2005-2006 ABC SR

4.b

Sales revenues

(%)

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Single copy sales

-

65

65

65

65

Subscriptions

-

-

35

35

35

Home deliveries

-

20

-

-

-

Postal deliveries

-

15

-

-

-

Total

-

100

100

100

100

Source: Slovak Press Publishers Association (ZVPT)

4.c

Type of newspaper sales

(Slovak koruna)

min

max

Single copy

9.00

16.00

Source: ABC SR, ZVPT

4.d

Cover prices (2006)

(%)

Reached

All adults

60

Men

65

Women

45

Source: ZVPT

5.a

Newspaper reach (2006)

5.b

Age structure of readership

(2005)

Age

% daily reach

within age

group

less than 16

36.8

16-24

59.3

25-34

61.5

35-44

63.2

45-54

62.1

55-64

60.0

65 +

57.6

Source: Slovak Radio Media Research
Department

Change (%)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2008/04 2008/07

Dailies

12

11

11

-

9

-25.00

-

Source: 2005-2006 ZVPT; 2008 AIM Monitor – Media Research

6.a

Online editions

(000)

Change (%)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2008/04 2008/07

Internet subscribers

-

-

-

532.6

-

-

-

Internet users

-

-

-

2,311.6 2,350.0

-

1.66

Source: 2007 International Telecommunication Union (ITU); 2008 International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) via Internet World Stats

2008 data as of March 2008

6.d

Internet subscribers and users

6.e

Broadband Internet

(000)

Change (%)

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2007/03 2007/06

Broadband subscribers

-

-

-

-

472

-

-

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Newspaper/ Publishing company

Website

Unique visitors per month

1

(000)

Sme / Petit Press

sme.sk

1,029

Pravda / Perex

pravda.sk

468

Novy Cas / Ringier

cas.sk

336

Plus 1 Den / Spolocnost 7 Plus

pluska.sk

228

Hospodarske noviny / Ecopress

hnonline.sk

175

Source: AIM Monitor

1

Real users, estimate for December 2008

6.c

Top daily newspaper web sites (2008)

(Slovak koruna, bln)

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

GDP

1,222

1,362

1,485

1,660

1,851

Source: ZenithOptimedia

7.aa

Gross domestic product

(Slovak koruna, 000)

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

GDP per capita

226.8

252.6

275.6

307.9

343.4

Source: ZenithOptimedia

7.ab

Gross domestic product per capita

822

WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS – WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2009

SLOVAKIA

7.ac

Ad spend as a % of GDP

(%)

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Ad expenditure

1.38

1.76

2.00

2.13

2.22

Source: ZenithOptimedia

(Slovak koruna, mln)

2004 2005 2006 2007

2008 2009 2010 2011

Press

3,877 4,320 4,575 5,438

6,060 6,085 6,390 6,708

Newspapers

1,763 1,964 1,939 2,175

2,350 2,355 2,473 2,596

Magazines

2,114 2,356 2,636 3,263

3,710 3,730 3,917 4,112

Television

17,808 22,491 27,543 32,040

36,050 37,010 41,081 47,654

Radio

1,494 1,737 1,831 1,811

1,821 1,805 1,895 1,990

Cinema

12

21

22

18

24

24

25

26

Outdoor

612

875

1,130 1,360

1,623 1,704 1,806 1,915

Internet

-

-

307

497

982

1,420 2,059 2,883

Total

23,803 29,444 35,409 41,164

46,560 48,048 53,256 61,177

Source: TNS A-Connect; ZenithOptimedia

Before discounts; excludes classified; excludes production costs; excludes agency
commission

7.ba

Advertising expenditure per medium

(Slovak koruna, mln)

Change (%)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2004/00 2004/03

Total paid-for dailies

835

1,035 1,152 1,418 1,794 114.85

26.52

Source: TNS A-Connect

Advertising revenues are before discounts. A typical discount is 15%. Figures
include classifieds and inserts

7.c

Advertising revenues

Advertising sector

% of display

ad revenue

Mobile communication

25.3

Insurance companies

13.0

Banks

13.0

Internet

10.2

Female cosmetics

8.7

Auto indsutry

7.9

Shopping centres

6.9

Pharmacies

5.9

Chocolate products

5.4

Non-alcoholic beverages

3.7

Source: TNS Global Slovakia; Strategie
2008

7.f

Top newspaper advertising

categories (2008)

Advertiser

Expenditure

(Slovak koruna, 000)

Orange Slovakia

407,910

T-Mobile

334,934

T-Com

154,857

Reckitt Benckiser

125,324

L’Oréal

123,829

Henkel Slovakia

123,157

Procter & Gamble

121,236

Consumer Finance Holding

97,206

Nestlé Slovakia

94,083

Allianz-Slovenska poistovna 92,389

Source: TNS Global Slovakia; Strategie
2008

7.g

Top newspaper advertisers

(2008)

8.a

Top publishing companies (2008)

Publishing company

Total circulation

Total revenue

1

(000)

(Slovak koruna, 000)

Ringier Slovakia

172

1,460,508.5

Petit Press

112

942,943.8

Perex

63

368,139.7

Spolocnost 7plus

64

-

Sport Press

25

2

-

Ecopress

18

-

Privatpress

7

-

Source: ABC SR; Trend Analyses

1

Exchange rate used: EUR1 = SKK30.126

2

Not audited; estimates range between 25,000 and 50,000

Title

Language Publishing

Circulation

Readership

1

Cover price

Format

Full page ad rate

company

usual max usual max

Mono Colour

(000)

(%)

(Slovak koruna) (USD)

(Slovak koruna)

Novy cas

Slovak

Ringier Slovakia

172

25.7

10.00

15.00

0.47

0.70

Tabloid

215,000

324,000

Pravda

Slovak

Perex

63

7.8

12.00

15.00

0.56

0.70

Tabloid

123,000

155,000

Sme

Slovak

Petit Press

60

8.3

13.00

15.00

0.61

0.70

28 x 38 cm

115,000

163,000

Plus 1 Den

Slovak

Spolocnost 7plus

64

8.8

11.00

14.00

0.52

0.66

28 x 40 cm

119,000

146,000

Sport

Slovak

Sport Press

25

2

3.7

15.00

-

0.70

-

26 x 34 cm

50,000

100,000

Korzar

Slovak

Petit Press

27

3.8

10.00

-

0.47

-

28 x 38 cm

78,000

102,000

Uj Szo

Hungarian

Petit Press

25

1.7

9.00

-

0.42

-

28 x 38 cm

72,000

93,000

Hospodarske noviny

Slovak

Ecopress

18

3.0

16.00

-

0.75

-

28 x 42 cm

115,000

138,000

Presovsky vecernik

Slovak

Privatpress

7

0.3

10.00

-

0.47

-

Tabloid

13,800

-

Source: ABC SR; ZVPT

1

In 2008, third wave

2

Not audited; estimates range between 25,000 and 50,000

8.ba

Top paid-for dailies (2008)

Title

Founded

Language

Publishing company

Circulation

Format

(year)

(000)

Dennik 24

1

2007

2

Slovak

Dennik 24, s.r.o.

30

Tabloid

Source: ZVPT; WAN from public sources

1

Distributed in Bratislava

2

Launched in October 2007; ceased publication in January 2008

8.bb

Top free dailies (2008)

Change (%)

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2006/02 2006/05

4-colour newspapers

19

12

-

11

11

-42.11

0.00

Broadsheets

17

11

-

-

-

-

-

Tabloids

2

1

-

3

3

50.00

0.00

Other formats

-

-

-

8

8

-

0.00

Source: ZVPT

10.a

Newspaper colour capability & formats

(%)

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Single copy sales

40

40

40

40

40

Home deliveries

45

45

45

45

45

Postal deliveries

30

30

30

30

30

Source: ZVPT

10.ba

Distribution costs as a % of average cover price

WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS – WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2009

823

SLOVAKIA

(Slovakia, koruna)

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Single copy

4

4

4

-

5

Subscription

5

5

5

-

6

Source: ZVPT

10.bb

Average distribution costs per copy

(Slovakia, koruna)

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Average per ton

24,000

20,000

20,000

21,000

22,000

Source: ZVPT

10.c

Newsprint costs

11.

Research

Circulation is audited by
Audit Bureau of Circulation, Slovak Republic

Readership is measured by
Slovak Radio Media Research Department

Methodology
Operations: quantitative research includes media
audience measurement. Qualitative research includes
focus groups discussions, in-depth interviews.

Methods: face-to-face and telephone interviews, diaries,
postal surveys, home use and central location tests, ad
hoc retail audit, mystery shopping, panels, focus groups,
indepth interviews, and projective techniques. The
Media Research Department (as a special department of
Slovak Radio) carries out regular audience surveys
focused not only on radio audience measurement, but
also on other patterns of media behaviour of the Slovak
population (TV and press audience measurement). It
also provides public opinion polls concerned with
topical problems of Slovakia.

Results: listening patterns and indicators, including
ratings of broad stations in 30 minute time blocks from
2001 up to now, market share (share of broad stations
expenditure) from 2001 up to now, sociodemographic
attributes of radio audience, general media behaviour of
population, and preferences and opinions of the Slovak
public (political, economical, social questions).

Source: ZVPT

Tax

%

Standard VAT

19

VAT on:

Single copy sales

19

Subscription sales

19

Advertising

19

Newsprint

19

Composition

19

Plant

19

Tax on profits – standard rate

19

Tax on profits for newspapers

19

Source: ZVPT

12.

Taxes (2008)

13.a

Subsidies generally

Are there subsidies for the purchase of newsprint?
No

Are loans granted at low rates for re-equipment or
improving existing equipment?
No

Are there any direct subsidies?
No

Source: ZVPT

Discount on rates of

Discount rate (%)

Post

0

Railroad

0

Telephone

0

Telegraph

0

Telex

0

Other

0

Source: ZVPT

14.

Discounts (2008)

824

WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS – WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2009

SLOVAKIA

15.a

Ownership laws and rules

Does any law exist governing publishing-house ownership,
or the registration of shares in newspaper-publishing
companies?
Competition in this market segment is protected by the
Law no. 136/2001 for the Protection of Economic
Competition. It defines the terms of misusing
a dominant position on the market and provides
concentration and merger guidelines. Concentration
and mergers have to be supervised and approved by the
Antimonopoly Office if, according to paragraph 10 of
the Law, a global annual turnover of the concentrated
companies is at least SKK1.2 billion, and at least two
participants have had an annual turnover in the Slovak
Republic of SKK360 million, or at least one participant
had a turnover in the Slovak Republic of SKK500 mil.
and the other one had a global turnover of SKK1.2 bn.

Is there any law prohibiting or restricting foreign companies
or individuals from owning shares, and in particular, the
majority of shares, of domestic daily newspapers?
No

Is there any law prohibiting daily newspaper or periodical
publishers from operating radio or television stations in the
same locality?
Slovak anti-competition and antitrust law is based on
the European Union legal practices. There are several
anti-cross-ownership rules, including that according to
which the owner of a national radio or TV station
cannot own a national daily as well. Ownership
restrictions between two or more national TV stations
have been relaxed within the 2006 Digitalization Law.

So as to guarantee disclosure and transparency in the capital
structure and to avoid silent partners, is there any law or
rule permitting in any event the possibility of finding out
who are the actual owners of a publishing company?
Law no. 136/2001 for the Protection of Economic
Competition

Is there an antitrust law limiting concentration in the daily
press?
Law no. 136/2001 for the Protection of Economic
Competition

Is further regulation of media concentration expected?
No

Source: ZVPT