On History of Croatian Journalism

(Josip Vidakovic: History of Croatian Journalism: Zadar in the 19th Century, Croatian Communication Association & NONACOM, Zagreb, 2001; pages 256)

Mario Plenkovic

Since contemporary journalism is one of the major topics of political and science discourses in Croatia, it is necessary to examine how journalism developed in the first place, and where the first traces of Croatian journalism can be found.

The author of this book, an esteemed communication science expert and historian dr.sc. Josip Vidakovic, professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zadar, has presented the structural and historical context in which journalism developed in Zadar in the 19th century. The book was written within the framework of research project on Croatian Media at the break of the 21st  century (Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia). 

Zadar was the cradle of Croatian journalism (Kraljski Dalmatin), where media-political discourse and political and media consciousness about democracy, freedom and human rights first emerged.

Based on the contents analysis of newspapers printed in Zadar in the 19th century, Vidakovic analyses political background and historical development of journalism at the time. His analysis shows how important journalism was for development of Croatian language, Croatian national consciousness and media communication. A special segment of analysis refers to the role played by Zadar journalism in structuring and classification of new communication science disciplines.

This book thus presents the first systematic insight into history of Croatian journalism. It draws attention of researchers to the relevance of Zadar’s newspapers and journalists to the development of Croatian journalism overall.

As the book is written in a popular fashion, it is accessible to wider audience, but it is primarily intended for communication scientists, journalists, writers, historians of journalism, politicians, public workers, students of journalism.

Prof. dr. sc. Mario Plenkovic is a full professor of Systematic and Media Communication Science at Universities in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Maribor – Slovenia, and president of the Croatian Communication Association. He is currently coordinating a research project on Croatian Media at the break of the 21st  century ©Media Online 2001. All rights reserved. 

go to top

P.O. Box, CH-8031 Zürich, Switzerland
Phone +41-1-272 46 37,  Fax +41-1-272 46 82, email: info@MEDIENHILFE.ch