Central and Eastern European Media under Dictatorial Rule and in the Early Cold War

This volume presents case studies of media under socialist and fascist dictatorial regimes covering the period from the 1930s till the early Cold War. The regional focus is on Central and Eastern Europe. Fourteen authors from nine countries – among them historians, social scientists and media specialists – explore this interesting chapter in European media history. Media in dictatorships should construct an ‘image of the enemy’, transfer the propaganda of the regime, compete with alternative sources of information such as foreign radio broadcasting, deliver information, mobilise the population and, last but not least, entertain the audience. How media was controlled and how efficient this control was, were both important issues in this context.