Z1

Z1, also known as Z1 Televizija and Zagrebačka Televizija, is a local commercial television station based in Zagreb, Croatia. The station began broadcasting in August 2004 under the Z1 name. It has also operated under the earlier or alternative name TV Sljeme, reflecting its focus on Zagreb and its local audience. The station’s programming has combined local news and public-affairs content with talk shows, cultural programming, entertainment, and opinion-led formats. Programs associated with Z1 include Željko Malnar’s Nightmare Stage, Večernji pressing, Vježbanje demokracije, Ćiroskop, and Opasne veze. These programs have featured recognizable Croatian media, political, cultural, and sports personalities, helping the station establish an identity distinct from Croatia’s national broadcasters. Z1’s positioning is strongly local. Its relevance comes from addressing Zagreb viewers and providing a platform for local debate, commentary, interviews, and entertainment rather than competing primarily as a nationwide general-interest network. The station has nevertheless attracted national attention because of the political tone and controversies surrounding some of its programming, particularly the talk and current-affairs shows Markov trg and Bujica. The station became the subject of regulatory action by Croatia’s Council for Electronic Media on two notable occasions. In January 2016, the regulator imposed a three-day broadcasting suspension after determining that statements made at the close of Markov trg constituted hate speech and encouraged hostility based on ethnic or other protected characteristics. The decision triggered a public protest outside the regulator’s premises. In December 2018, Z1 received a 24-hour broadcasting ban following a regulator’s finding of hate speech in an episode of Bujica broadcast and rebroadcast on the station. Other broadcasters that carried the program were also sanctioned in connection with the same matter. Z1 therefore occupies a distinctive position in Croatia’s television landscape: it is a Zagreb-oriented commercial station with a portfolio of local programs, but its public profile has also been shaped by disputes over editorial standards, political speech, and the boundaries of broadcast regulation. Publicly available reference material identifies its principal location, launch period, program history, and regulatory controversies, but does not establish detailed information about its ownership structure, finances, current management, audience figures, or present distribution arrangements.

Z1 is a Zagreb-based local commercial television station whose broadcasting history began in August 2004. It has been known as Z1 Televizija and Zagrebačka Televizija, while TV Sljeme was used as another name associated with the station. Its identity has been closely tied to the Croatian capital and to programming intended for a local audience. Rather than presenting itself solely as a national general-interest broadcaster, Z1 developed a schedule built around local television formats, interviews, debate, current affairs, entertainment, and cultural content. Its associated programs have included Nightmare Stage, hosted and produced by Željko Malnar, as well as Večernji pressing, Vježbanje demokracije, Ćiroskop, and Opasne veze. The range of formats indicates an editorial model combining public discussion with personality-driven and entertainment-oriented television. Z1’s later public profile was influenced significantly by controversies over the content of selected programs. The first major regulatory intervention described in the available reference material occurred in January 2016. Croatia’s Council for Electronic Media concluded that closing remarks on Marko Jurič’s program Markov trg amounted to hate speech and encouraged hostility or discrimination on grounds including ethnic origin, religion, and related protected characteristics. The Council ordered the station’s concession withdrawn temporarily, resulting in a three-day interruption beginning at midnight on January 26. The decision prompted a substantial protest outside the regulator’s offices. A second broadcasting restriction followed in 2018. The Council determined that hate speech had been broadcast in Bujica, a program hosted by Velimir Bujanec, during an episode aired on November 5. The restriction applied not only to Z1 but also to several partner stations that carried the program. Z1’s own suspension, including the program’s broadcast and rerun, lasted 24 hours and was imposed on December 3, 2018. These episodes made Z1 a frequently discussed example of the tension between local political broadcasting, contentious commentary, and Croatia’s electronic-media regulation. At the same time, the available material provides limited information about the station’s corporate ownership, financing, current leadership, technical distribution, audience size, or programming after the documented sanctions. Its established historical description is therefore strongest in relation to its Zagreb location, 2004 launch, program portfolio, and regulatory controversies.

• 2018

  Second documented broadcasting suspension

  [1]Z1 (television)en.wikipedia.org

  Z1 receives a 24-hour broadcasting ban connected with hate speech in Bujica and its rerun.

• 2016

  First documented broadcasting suspension

  [1]Z1 (television)en.wikipedia.org

  Croatia’s Council for Electronic Media imposes a three-day suspension over hate speech in Markov trg.

• 2004

  Z1 begins broadcasting

  [1]Z1 (television)en.wikipedia.org

  The local commercial station begins broadcasting in August under the Z1 name.

Local commercial television station focused on Zagreb-oriented programming, public affairs, talk, entertainment, and opinion-led broadcasts.

• Broadcast television · 2004

  Local television broadcasts

  Z1’s core offering is a local commercial television service based in Zagreb. Its output has included locally oriented news, discussion, interviews, current affairs, cultural programming, entertainment, and reruns. The station’s programming identity is directed primarily toward viewers in Zagreb and the surrounding Croatian market.

• Talk and entertainment program

  Nightmare Stage

  Nightmare Stage is a notable program associated with Z1 and presented by Željko Malnar. It represents the station’s connection with personality-led local television and unconventional talk or entertainment programming.

• Current-affairs talk show

  Markov trg

  Markov trg was a Z1 current-affairs program hosted by Marko Jurič. The show became nationally known after the Croatian electronic-media regulator found that remarks made at the end of an episode in January 2016 constituted hate speech and ordered a temporary suspension of the station.

• Political talk show

  Bujica

  Bujica is a political and current-affairs program hosted by Velimir Bujanec and carried by Z1 and partner television stations. A 2018 episode led to a regulatory finding of hate speech and a 24-hour suspension affecting Z1, in addition to sanctions involving other broadcasters that carried the program.

• Talk show

  Večernji pressing

  Večernji pressing is one of the talk-show formats identified as being produced and broadcast by Z1. Available reference material provides no further verified details about its running dates, presenters, or format development.

• Political and public-affairs program

  Vježbanje demokracije

  Vježbanje demokracije is a Z1 program associated with political and civic discussion. The available reference material identifies it among the station’s notable productions but does not provide verified information about its launch date or current status.

• Talk and interview program

  Ćiroskop

  Ćiroskop is a Z1 program associated with Miroslav Blažević. It forms part of the station’s portfolio of personality-driven local television formats, although the available material does not specify its complete broadcast history.

• Talk and current-affairs program

  Opasne veze

  Opasne veze is among the notable programs produced and aired by Z1. Reference material associates the program with T. Dujmović but does not establish its launch year, detailed format, or present availability.

• 2018

  Bujica hate-speech suspension

  A Bujica episode broadcast and rerun by Z1 led to a regulatory finding of hate speech and a 24-hour broadcasting ban on December 3, 2018. Several partner stations carrying the program were also sanctioned.

  Source

• 2016

  Markov trg hate-speech suspension

  The Council for Electronic Media determined that statements made by Marko Jurič at the end of Markov trg promoted or incited hatred or discrimination. Z1 was suspended for three days beginning January 26, 2016.

  Source

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• 2018

  Temporary suspension following Bujica rulingOther

  Background

  The regulator found hate speech in a Bujica episode broadcast on Z1 and on other partner stations.

  Action taken

  Z1 was prohibited from broadcasting for 24 hours on December 3, 2018, including the program and its rerun.

  Aftermath

  Partner broadcasters that carried Bujica were also subject to broadcasting sanctions.

  Source

• 2016

  Temporary suspension following Markov trg rulingOther

  Background

  The national electronic-media regulator found that closing remarks on Markov trg constituted hate speech and encouraged hostility or discrimination.

  Action taken

  Z1’s broadcasting was suspended for three days beginning January 26, 2016.

  Aftermath

  The decision prompted a large public protest outside the Council for Electronic Media.

  Source

1. 1Z1 (television)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Z1 official websitez1.com.hr