CULTURAL POLICY ON THE FRONT PAGES OF DAILY NEWSPAPERS IN SERBIA

Text topic: Culture and Democracy - 50 Years of the Review Kultura

Text author: Зоран Јевтовић и Предраг Бајић

Starting from the importance of the press in its role of a mediator in the design of cultural systems, the authors are searching for cultural values and identities imposed by the media, by analysing the front pages of Serbian daily newspapers issued in April and May 2018. Tabloidization, sensationalism and commercialization undermine the public interest and the true importance of art and cultural heritage. That is something that creates new consciousness of the audience. Because of that, dominating topics relate to reality television programs and stories about private life of public figures or some controversial personalities. Different segments of society are trivialized through images of scandal and corruption, as well. Cultural policy does not offer a qualitative answer to the problem of infiltrating market ideology and because of that it unconsciously helps the expansion of consumerism. So, in this case, the role of the press is reduced to the services of clientelism and marketing.