Who Owns Slovenian Media? New Study Examines Intensifying Media Ownership Concentration in the Attention Economy

A new study published in Communication & Society journal analyzes how Slovenia’s media landscape has transformed from 2010 to 2022, revealing a sharp rise in ownership concentration driven by domestic media conglomerates, regional CEE giants, and politically aligned networks. Using social network analysis, the authors show that Slovenia’s media system has become significantly more centralized, with fewer owners controlling larger segments of print, radio, television, and online media outlets. The research identifies major actors reshaping the field—most notably the Media24 conglomerate, United Group and PPF Group as well as the expansive party‑aligned media ecosystem connected to the SDS political party. These developments, the study argues, reflect both global pressures of the attention economy and the specific vulnerabilities of smaller media markets.

The article highlights how disinvestment by Western media companies has opened space for domestic oligarchs and politically connected investors from Hungary and the Western Balkans to expand their influence in Slovenia. This shift has accelerated particularly since 2015 when ideologically aligned media networks rapidly grew across all media sectors. The authors warn that the combination of commercial pressures, political instrumentalization of media, and regulatory inaction has weakened conditions for media pluralism and critical journalism. Authors thus call for stronger regulatory safeguards and support for independent media to ensure that Slovenia’s public communication system can withstand the challenges posed by concentrated ownership and the competitive dynamics of the attention economy.

Article will be published in print in June but is currently openly accessible online:

Media oligarchs and the attention economy: ownership dynamics in Slovenia’s media system
Authors: Marko Ribać, Doruk Şen, Lori Šramel-Čebular, Mojca Pajnik