Media Influence Matrix Country Profile

Slovakia’s media and information ecosystem is undergoing significant transformation. Once characterized by relative regulatory stability and a pluralistic commercial sector, the environment has shifted rapidly toward an architecture of institutional pressure, political capture, and reduced safeguards for editorial independence. The 2025 Media Capture Monitoring Report: Slovakia documents profound concerns about the erosion of regulatory autonomy, the restructuring of public service media, and targeted political efforts to undermine watchdog journalism.

At the same time, Slovakia retains a vibrant community of digital-born outlets and investigative journalists, as well as a competitive telecommunications sector. Yet these strengths coexist with structural weaknesses: ownership concentration in key markets, financial vulnerability of independent publishers, heavy dependence on platforms, and growing exposure to disinformation.

Regulation and Policy Influence

Slovakia’s regulatory environment has entered a period of heightened political contestation. According to the MCMR Slovakia 2025, the most significant development is the proposed legislative overhaul of Rozhlas a televízia Slovenska (RTVS), the national public broadcaster. The current government seeks to dissolve RTVS and establish a new institution, Slovenská televízia a rozhlas (STVR), under a governance structure that weakens editorial autonomy and increases government influence over appointments, oversight, and strategic direction.

These reforms have raised profound concerns domestically and internationally. The report notes that the restructuring would “systematically eliminate institutional safeguards intended to protect editorial independence”, constituting a textbook case of emerging public-service media capture in an EU member state.

The regulatory authority, the Council for Media Services (formerly RVR), operates within increasingly constrained political conditions. While legally independent, the council’s leadership and internal decision-making processes are now subject to intensified scrutiny and political pressure, particularly as the government seeks greater control over public communication channels.

The legal environment for journalists has also deteriorated. Strategic lawsuits, public intimidation, and verbal attacks by political leaders contribute to a climate of insecurity and polarization. The MCMR 2025 warns that these pressures, combined with efforts to restructure RTVS, risk “dismantling core elements of media pluralism”.

Digital regulation remains limited. Slovakia is implementing EU-level legislation (DSA, AVMSD), but domestic policies to counter disinformation or regulate platforms lack coherence and political support. The increasingly hostile political climate has undermined attempts to build long-term institutional capacity in this area.

Key source:
Media Capture Monitoring Report: Slovakia (2025):
https://journalismresearch.org/media-capture-monitoring-report-slovakia-2025/

Legacy report (Regulation):
https://journalismresearch.org/2020/05/media-influence-matrix-slovakia-government-politics-and-regulation/

See Slovakia in State Media Monitor.

Provenance and Funding

Slovakia’s media market continues to be shaped by a combination of foreign-owned broadcasters, domestic business conglomerates, and a growing digital sector. Yet the economic foundations of independent journalism remain fragile.

Large commercial broadcasters, Markíza TV and JOJ TV, continue to dominate the audiovisual market. Their foreign ownership historically provided insulation from domestic political pressures. However, the MCMR 2025 highlights growing concerns that political actors are attempting to influence the regulatory and economic conditions under which these broadcasters operate, including indirect pressure through advertising markets and selective political targeting.

The print and digital sectors remain highly diverse, but economically unstable. Outlets such as SME, Denník N, Aktuality.sk, and independent investigative platforms maintain strong editorial reputations, yet operate under financial constraints. Subscription and membership models have helped stabilize some independent publishers, but the overall funding environment remains precarious.

The MCMR 2025 notes several systemic risks:

• Declining advertising revenues, especially for regional outlets
• Expansion of politically aligned media ecosystems
• Use of public funds and advertising to reward friendly outlets and marginalize critics
• Growing economic pressure on independent investigative journalism

Public service media, RTVS, faces the most acute threat. The proposed restructuring would alter its funding model, eliminate key independence safeguards, and introduce political oversight mechanisms. This would significantly weaken the role of public media in holding power accountable.

Legacy report (Funding): https://journalismresearch.org/2020/03/media-influence-matrix-slovakia-funding-journalism/

Technology, Platforms and the Information Environment

Digital platforms serve as the dominant channels for accessing news in Slovakia, with Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and messaging platforms central to information distribution. Platform dependence has intensified audience fragmentation and accelerated the spread of disinformation—particularly around elections, geopolitical issues, and domestic political crises.

The MCMR 2025 identifies the digital information environment as a critical vulnerability. Disinformation networks have grown increasingly professionalized, many with political affiliations. Coordinated campaigns target independent journalists, civil society organizations, and opposition actors, often amplifying narratives that delegitimize mainstream media and public institutions.

Telecommunications infrastructure is strong, shaped by Orange Slovensko, Slovak Telekom, and O2 Slovakia, which support high broadband penetration and advanced mobile connectivity. However, regional disparities persist, influencing news consumption patterns and digital literacy.

AI adoption is expanding but uneven. Major national publishers experiment with automated workflows and AI-assisted production tools, yet comprehensive standards for transparency, ethics, and editorial oversight are lacking. The state has not established a regulatory framework for AI in journalism or digital public communication.

The 2025 report notes that the combination of:

• political instability
• weakened public-service media
• platform-driven disinformation
• polarized online discourse

creates an environment in which “the digital public sphere is increasingly shaped by actors seeking to undermine institutional trust rather than strengthen it.”

Legacy report (Technology): https://journalismresearch.org/2020/06/media-influence-matrix-slovakia-technology-public-sphere-and-journalism/

Key Companies (Selection)

• Markíza TV — leading broadcaster with strong commercial reach.
• JOJ TV — major commercial television competitor.
• STVR — national public broadcaster undergoing politically driven restructuring.
• Petit Press (SME) — influential publisher with major digital presence.
• N Press (Denník N) — digital-born subscription-driven publisher.
• Aktuality.sk — leading digital news outlet known for investigative reporting.
• Orange Slovensko, Slovak Telekom, O2 Slovakia — major telecom operators influencing broadband access and digital distribution.