The Protection of Children’s Privacy in Večernji List and Jutarnji List 2010-2013: A Comparative Analysis

• Main Author: Lana Ciboci
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb 2014-06-01
• Series: Medijske Studije
• Subjects: children; children's rights; protection of privacy; daily newspapers; Večernji list; Jutarnji list
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=188586

According to research conducted in 2010 and 2011 (Ciboci et. al., 2011; Vlainić, 2012) children's rights are often violated in Croatian daily newspapers. Since then, the public worked hard on the promotion and protection of children's rights, particularly in the media. The legal protection of children's privacy in the media was increased, as well. The aim of this study is to determine whether the policy of reporting on children in the two most read Croatian daily newspapers - Večernji list and Jutarnji list - has changed, in relation to the first survey conducted in 2010. This paper uses quantitative content analysis in order to determine whether daily newspapers violate children's rights less often and protect their identity in those cases where it is necessary to protect the child's well-being, We analyze all of the articles about children that were published in each edition of the two newspapers, from January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013, 636 newspaper articles in total. The study found that the newspapers violated the rights of children in the text of the articles more often in 2010 than in 2013. The identity of children in the photographs was revealed equally in 2013 as in 2010. However, in comparison to 2010 in 2013 was recorded more frequent disclosure of the identity of children's parents in the photographs.