| Statistics | |
| Population | 5.5m |
| Internet penetration | 85% |
Compiled with the help of Simon Smith, Charles University, Prague.
The Slovak media environment is characterised by popular private TV stations, a trusted public broadcaster and the strong position of digital-born news portals. The 2018 murder of an investigative journalist highlighted the increasing exposure of reporters to intimidation and abuse, according to human rights groups.
Top Brands
Changing Media
The ongoing trial of those accused of the murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak has continued to grip the nation with extensive coverage via top news sources. Smartphones (58%) have overtaken computers and laptops (55%) for the first time this year as the main way of accessing digital news.
Trust
Trust in news overall dropped significantly from an already low level, reflecting the success of sustained critique of the media ‘mainstream’ by partisan brands and the difficulty of countering this critique without appearing censorial. Public service broadcaster RTVS overtook rolling news channel TA3 as the most trusted brand this year.