Czech Republic and three models of media systems

This paper deals with the inclusion of the Czech media system into one of three models of media systems according to the theory D. C. Hallin and P. Mancini, according to their study Comparing Media Systems in 2004 (published in English under the title Comparing Media Systems). Czech media system is therefore examined according to 4 criteria: in terms of its development, even the ownership structure, which is essential for the functioning of the media market, political parallelism, professionalism and professionalization of journalism and the role of the state in the media system. Then I compare it with the countries of models of media systems and based on this comparison, I try to put Czech media system into one of these models. Performed analysis concludes that the Czech media system shares the characteristics of both north-central European and Mediterranean model, and ranges, therefore, on the border between them. This classification, that provides an overall view of the Czech media system enables to identify areas in which deficiencies (esp. in the media poorly covered spectrum of opinions of particular groups in society, underdeveloped professional identity of journalists), and at the same time and considerable scope for further development of the media system in the Czech Republic as a whole...