Media in Post-Communist Mongolia

By Vic, Apple and Sam

Introduction A Post-Communist Country: transforms from the former Communist State to free market-oriented capitalist economy with the form of parliamentary democracy. (Wiki)

The research focuses on the analysis of media supply, ownership, market situation, analysis of freedom of expression and challenges to journalistic integrity.

Why chose Mongolia for this case study?

Transition from Communism

In late 1980s, the regime loosened its grip gave media more editorial freedom. Shine Toly, independent newspaper, broke the government monopoly in Feb 1990. Mongolian society experienced a lot of significant changes in politics, social and cultural issues. In 2004, coalition government of MPRP and Democrat Party was formed, but also face a lot of difficulties;

CORRUPTION
This is a huge problem, happened in both petty and grand levels. The reason is that there is a lack of transparency and access to information and undermines nearly all aspects of accountability and government oversight.

Petty level

Grand level

MEDIA MARKET WITH MARKET FAILURES Newspapers

Dailies Biweeklies Weeklies Bimonthly Others Of which local newspapers

147
10 5 24 70 38 36

Magazines Television stations

National Ulaanbataar Local

84 50
15 16 33

Radio stations
National Ulaanbataar Local

63
1 20 42

1. Even the most popular and high-profile televisions have to rely on financial subsidies from political and business interests. 2. Financial constraint also occurs in local media, even worse. The private media provide political and financial influence for their owners and beneficiaries. 3. The situation also results in paid for stories.

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
It is impossible to identify the owners of media outlets. (but it is possible to identify the political parallelism with close connection between media outlets and political parties.)

VIOLATIONS OF MEDIA FREEDOM

Violations of media freedom and political/financial pressure are experienced in Mongolia. This is a great concern and makes it difficult for Mongolian media to fulfill their role as a watchdog.

Huge disadvantaged groups (herders, migrants and poor people) have limited access to express themselves in the media and are general excluded from the public sphere. Owners of dominant television stations unscrupulously exploit their position in attempt to control news coverage and political debates and to exclude opposition views.

PUBLIC BROADCASTING
In 2006, State-Run broadcaster was transformed into Public broadcaster.

Conclusion