Slovakia Ranks Near Bottom in Public Service Media Perception According to Digital News Report 2026
According to the Digital News Report 2026 by the Reuters Institute, 19% of Slovaks believe public broadcaster STVR has a positive impact on the country, while 33% view its effects as negative, placing Slovakia second from the bottom in a global ranking of public media perception.
The study analyzed media in 48 countries, including Slovakia, and focused on 26 markets where public service media plays a significant role. Globally, 37% of respondents rated public media’s impact positively, 22% negatively, with 35% considering it neutral or irrelevant.
Slovakia’s score of -14 placed it below France (-9) and Serbia (-23), with 18 of 26 countries scoring positively. The research measured public sentiment by subtracting negative responses from positive ones to calculate a net score.
Why it matters
Public service media’s perceived influence reflects broader societal trust in institutional information sources. Slovakia’s low score suggests a significant portion of the population views its national broadcaster as ineffective or biased, which could affect its role in informing citizens and maintaining democratic accountability.
What may happen next
Public service broadcasters in countries with low trust scores may face pressure to rebrand or adapt their content to align with public expectations. In Slovakia, this could involve transparency reforms or programming changes to address skepticism, though no official actions are mentioned in the study.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of Slovaks view public media as having a negative impact?
33%, according to the Digital News Report 2026.
How does Slovakia rank globally in public media perception?
Slovakia placed second from the bottom, with a net score of -14.
What is the global average for public media perception?
Globally, 37% of respondents viewed public media positively, 22% negatively, and 35% considered its impact neutral or irrelevant.
How might public service media in Slovakia adapt to low trust scores?