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Reposted by Vaclav Stetka

Sabina Mihelj @sabinamihelj.bsky.social · Jul 23

As democracy crumbles and authoritarianism gains ground around the world, digital media are increasingly being blamed for driving these developments. However, as I and @vstetka.bsky.social argue in a recent piece for Le Monde, the role of digital media in these developments is often exaggerated.

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Jul 16

Thanks for your kind words, Katharina! 🙏

Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Jul 14

Very much enjoyed the panel on the rise of the illiberal public sphere at #IPSA2025, organised by the Political Communication section, as well as the panel on "destructive polarization" covened by @kathaesa.bsky.social - thanks for the opportunity to promote our work with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social!

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Reuters Institute @reutersinstitute.bsky.social · Jun 17

Our Digital News Report 2025 is out!

📊48 markets
🌏Almost 100K respondents
📰Key headline: Audiences lean into video news and influencers, raising misinformation concerns and new dilemmas for publishers

📱Explore now buff.ly/xLP67Tg
🧵Findings in thread #DNR25

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Jun 5

Thank you, Line!

Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Jun 5

Truly honoured by this award for our book with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social🙏 Many thanks to APSA @apsaitp.bsky.social, as well as to almost 20k people who have accessed the book online so far! #illiberalism

APSA & ICA Political Communication Divisions @polcomm.bsky.social · Jun 5

🎉 Excited to share the APSA Technology & Politics Section Award winners! 🏆

📚 Best Book

The Illiberal Public Sphere: Media in Polarized Societies
by @sabinamihelj.bsky.social & @vstetka.bsky.social. You can access it, it is in open access!

link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

🧵

The Illiberal Public Sphere

This book uncovers the media's role in global illiberalism through cutting-edge analysis of recent developments in Eastern Europe.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by Vaclav Stetka

Committee for Editorial Independence @indyeditorial.bsky.social · May 20

Hungary’s new ‘transparency’ bill targets independent media & civil society. This is authoritarianism, not accountability.

We stand with all journalists, NGOs & citizens defending democracy. The EU must act.

nezavisla.economia.cz/en/committee...

#PressFreedom #Hungary #EUvalues

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Reposted by Vaclav Stetka

CONNECTED on TaiwanPlus @connectedtwplus.bsky.social · May 5

RSF this year for the first time called the global environment for press freedom ‘difficult.’ What does the future hold for press freedom in Taiwan and Asia?

🎙️ Aleksandra Bielakowska (@ketalaolan.bsky.social), Irene Jay Liu & Václav Štětka (@vstetka.bsky.social)

Watch here:

Has Press Freedom Reached a Low Point in 2025? Blame Social Media, AI and Budget Cuts | CONNECTED

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) this year for the first time called the global environment for press freedom ‘difficult.’ What does the future hold for press...

youtu.be

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Apr 4

It was a real pleasure to talk about our book with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social to such an engaged audience. Many thanks to Marlene Laruelle and @jchrobie.bsky.social for having us!

Illiberalism Studies Program @illsp.bsky.social · Apr 3

If you missed yesterday's presentation by @vstetka.bsky.social and @sabinamihelj.bsky.social on their new book, The Illiberal Public Sphere, the full recording is now available on our YouTube!

youtu.be/ySHWGIbuB9U

The Illiberal Public Sphere: Media in Polarized Societies

YouTube video by Illiberalism Studies Program

youtu.be

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Mar 26

It's only spring, but I am already looking forward to autumn - which I will spend in #Vienna on a visiting fellowship, as a Guest of the Institute for Human Sciences @iwm.at. Grateful for this opportunity! 🙏

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Illiberalism Studies Program @illsp.bsky.social · Mar 21

Join us for an online presentation of a new book by @vstetka.bsky.social and @sabinamihelj.bsky.social: The Illiberal Public Sphere Media in Polarized Societies!

Hear about increasing #illiberalism, #polarization, and declining trust in mass media in CEE

Register here: tinyurl.com/5n6f82rd

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Oliver Morton, Eater of Sun @eaterofsun.bsky.social · Mar 21

A giant step back for womankind?

On February 28th the main Artemis page at nasa. gov read as follows
web.archive.org/web/20250313...

text from https://web.archive.org/web/20250313041133/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/artemis/
which reads:
Artemis
With the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.

We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon. Then, we will use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars.

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Will Hayward - Wales Journo @willhaycardiff.bsky.social · Mar 16

Last month I did a little experiment.

I wanted to see how the exact same post would perform on both X (Twitter) and Bluesky.

The results were...interesting...

[Thread]

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Mar 6

🎉 Delighted to learn I have been awarded funding for comparative, mixed-methods research on Russian #disinformation in Poland, Romania & Serbia, with Fanni Toth @durhamuniversity.bsky.social as Co-I, & in collaboration with @m-deceit.bsky.social @sabinamihelj.bsky.social @stevehutchings.bsky.social

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Feb 26

Excellent analysis of the latest developments in the long & tortuous struggle to secure financial sustainability and political independence of the #Czech public service media.

Tim Gosling @tgoscee.bsky.social · Feb 26

Battle Over #Czech Public Service Broadcaster: Another Rerun balkaninsight.com/2025/02/26/b... w insight from
@vstetka.bsky.social @marinaurbanikova.bsky.social

balkaninsight.com/2025/02/26/b...

Battle Over Czech Public Service Broadcaster: Another Rerun

The Czech government is looking to push through a license fee hike for public service broadcasters before the autumn election, when the populists are expected to return to power.

balkaninsight.com

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Feb 21

Deadline approaching soon for this unique PhD studentship, supervised by @sabinamihelj.bsky.social and myself, in collaboration with @bbcmediaaction.bsky.social - if you are interested in researching disinformation in the #Baltics, #Afghanistan or #Libya, do apply by 24 February!

Sabina Mihelj @sabinamihelj.bsky.social · Jan 20

📣 We have a fully funded #PhD place available at the Communication & Media Department @lborocrcc.bsky.social at Loughborough University, in collaboration with BBC Media Action and supported by the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP.

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Pavel Vondra @pavelvond.bsky.social · Feb 14

„Myslím si, že to je (v českém kontextu) pořád nejlepší způsob, jakkoliv sám o sobě nedokonalý, jak garantovat politickou nezávislost veřejnoprávních médií, což je pro jejich fungování zcela klíčové,“ říká v @zaminutusest.bsky.social o koncesionářských poplatcích sociolog médií @vstetka.bsky.social

„Naivní,“ říká odborník o nápadu platit veřejnoprávní média jako Netflix - Seznam Zprávy

Koalice a opozice svádí ve Sněmovně bitvu o koncesionářské poplatky. Obejdou se veřejnoprávní média bez jejich zvýšení? A obešla by se naopak česká společnost bez veřejnoprávních médií? Rozebíráme se ...

www.seznamzpravy.cz

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Feb 9

"Wonderfully structured and accessible, it appeals not only to
scholars but also to the broader democratic public grappling with the question: 'What on earth is happening to democracy?'”
Delighted to read such a nice review of our book! @sabinamihelj.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Feb 3

Still 3 week to apply for this unique PhD studentship at our Communication & Media Department @lborocrcc.bsky.social, in collaboration with #BBC @bbcmediaaction.bsky.social - if you are interested in researching disinformation in the #Baltics, #Afghanistan or #Libya, we would love to hear from you!

Sabina Mihelj @sabinamihelj.bsky.social · Jan 20

📣 We have a fully funded #PhD place available at the Communication & Media Department @lborocrcc.bsky.social at Loughborough University, in collaboration with BBC Media Action and supported by the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP.

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Feb 3

Thanks a lot for sharing!

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Reposted by Vaclav Stetka

Ben O'Loughlin @benoloughlin.bsky.social · Feb 3

Three stages of a liberal public sphere being replaced by an #illiberal one. Very useful framework from @vstetka.bsky.social & @sabinamihelj.bsky.social - all we see happening in the US fits. Q = how to win the struggle against it? Needs creativity and will: www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstr...

www.ssoar.info

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Lukasz Olejnik @lukaszolejnik.bsky.social · Feb 2

Research finds TikTok’s algorithm apparently favors one political side more than the other. Republican accounts got 11.8% more content supporting their views, Democrats saw 7.5% more content opposing theirs. The bias comes from negative partisanship, prioritizing criticism. arxiv.org/pdf/2501.17831

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The Guardian @theguardian.com · Jan 27

More than half Gen Z think authoritarian leader better for UK than democracy, poll suggests – UK politics live

Polling finds 52% of Gen Z thought UK would be better place if ‘strong leader did not have to bother with parliament and elections’ A persistent slowdown in activity among private sector firms could weigh on economic growth over the coming months, with…

www.theguardian.com

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Vaclav Stetka @vstetka.bsky.social · Jan 22

Honoured and excited to be joining the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Press/Politics, and looking forward to working with the new editorial team under the leadership of Taberez A. Neyazi @taberez.bsky.social !
#IJPP #PoliticalCommunication journals.sagepub.com/editorial-bo...

Editorial Board: The International Journal of Press/Politics: Sage Journals

The editorial board of The International Journal of Press/Politics

journals.sagepub.com

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Sabina Mihelj @sabinamihelj.bsky.social · Jan 20

📣 We have a fully funded #PhD place available at the Communication & Media Department @lborocrcc.bsky.social at Loughborough University, in collaboration with BBC Media Action and supported by the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP.

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