MACEDONIAN MEDIA AND NATIONAL INTERESTS: PROMOTION AND PROTECTION IN COMPARATION WITH THE REGION AND EUROPE

Abstract

Subject of this paper is the role of the media in protecting national interests of Republic of N. Macedonia and the need to carry out a media strategy in that direction. The role of the media in each country is crucial in promotion and support on institutional agendas in protecting national interests. Our country, from independence to today, mostly in the past ten years, has gone through a period of serious challenges, such as the change of its constitutional name, contestation of the Macedonian language and Macedonian history. This paper, through a specific analysis of the role and reporting method of the Macedonian media in the aforementioned processes, will explain the purpose and need for creating a special Media Strategy for the protection of Macedonian national interests. The Media Strategy should be initiated and prepared by the media themselves. Through the comparative analysis with the countries in the region from the former Yugoslav republics and beyond, on the same topic, this paper shows that the strategic journalists reporting in crucial moments is a strong shield for the state itself. The media is the world seventh power, and the essence of their positioning is precisely because of their power in protecting and fighting for public interests and national issues.