COMMUNICATION ASPECT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND CULTURE IN A PERIOD OF TRANSITION

Abstract

This paper is based on a research of communication aspect of the relationship between local newspapers and culture in the period from 1990 to 2000. Political changes during 1990s marked political changes having an impact on all life segments in the Republic of Croatia, thus in the town of Zadar too. The process of democratization in the Republic of Croatia was marked with a series of difficulties. The Homeland war brought about tough days of poverty, deaths, destroyed towns and local heritage, as well as other difficulties usually brought about by war. Culture is an important segment of human life, and studying culture and cultural life in war period requires special attention. Cultural life in such extraordinary conditions influences raising morale and has a significant role in the spiritual life of citizens. Political changes had an effect also on the media going through a process of creating a democratic pluralistic information system. The paper is based on a hypothesis that the Zadar newspapers − in terms of culture and cultural work in the first decade of democratic changes, in pre-war period, war period and post-war period − had the role of an active participant in cultural life as well as the role of a mediator among journalists, cultural workers and citizens of Zadar. The research is based on researches of reaction papers in the area of culture in Zadar’s local newspapers in the period from 1990 to 2000. The newspapers include: Narodni list, Zadarski list, Fokus, Zadarski tjednik and Zadarski regional. This paper defines culture in terms of the document Cultural politics of the Republic of Croatia, harmonized with the European standards in terms of cultural politics.