ESTONIA. Risks and Opportunities Related to Media and Journalism Studies (2000–2020). Case Study on the National Research and Monitoring Capabilities.
Date
2022
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Abstract
Description
Estonian media research was institutionalized in the 1970s and until the first decade of the 21st
century media and journalism research was steadily improving. In 2013 communication and
media studies at University of Tartu was ranked between 51 and 100 (QS World University
Rankings 2021), in 2020 between 201-220. After 2014/2015 the media monitoring capabilities
have signs of degradation. Above all, the decrease in research and monitoring resources is
caused by the worsening of the financing situation of Estonian science and higher education.
Secondly, Estonian policy makers’ interest in media usage and media developments has been
small and random. Therefore, the media usage data is mainly collected by commercial monitoring
organizations, the data is not accessible for public institutions. In the 21st century, journalism
and communication research has been carried out, to a large extent, under the umbrella of
various European research projects, in which Estonian researchers have successfully participated.
Journalism, media accountability and media usage domains are relatively well covered with
studies and data, while in case of legal regulation and media competencies domains the RO
analysis can only lean on fragmentary case studies. Key actors concerning data collection and
knowledge producers are individual researchers, courts, Data Protection Inspectorate, Statistics
Estonia, media monitoring companies, and media organizations.