KULTURA KOMUNICIRANJA Mario Aunedi Medek

Guest Mario Aunedi MedekHosted by Boris ŽivkovićMay 3, 2026

Mario Aunedi Medek

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

The media landscape is more complex than ever before. Every person with a social media profile is now a publisher, shaping public discourse with unprecedented reach. This shift, according to Mario Aunedi Medek, director of Media Val agency and president of the Croatian Public Relations Association, has made communication the primary determinant of success or failure in both business and politics. Medek argues that this new reality demands a re-evaluation of how we manage public attention, especially during prolonged periods of crisis. His agency, Media Val, has navigated this by reorganizing its internal structure, adapting to a world where 'crisis-mode operation has become the new normal.' This conversation will challenge your assumptions about the role of social media in public relations and make you reconsider the true cost of unchecked digital freedom.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

"Every person through their profile or social page has become a medium," Mario Aunedi Medek observes. This democratization of publishing has made the media environment "perhaps the most complex in history," elevating communication to the "prevalent reason why something is successful or not successful" in business and politics alike.

Years ago, Medek's suggestion to regulate Facebook was met with "don't ever say that in public, it's blasphemous." Today, "very serious discussions about regulation" are happening globally, including signed agreements like the one in Australia. The lesson is that social network owners failed to recognize the "responsibility that comes with" their platforms' massive reach until it became a public problem.

The debate around regulating comments on web portals, or requiring registration under real names, boils down to "personal responsibility." While such regulation might have sounded "terrifying" years ago, there are now "very valid arguments" for it, as unchecked anonymity often leads to hate speech and inappropriate communication.

During the crisis, the official coronavirus.hr portal received "over five and a half million unique visits." This demonstrates that despite the noise, social media can be a crucial channel for citizens seeking "very useful information" from "relevant or official persons," proving its positive utility when managed responsibly.

Digitalization has "hit the media much more than the public relations profession itself," Medek states. The traditional content monetization model for news "hasn't really taken off anywhere," even for major global outlets, forcing media to rethink their revenue streams, while PR agencies, being adaptable, have found new avenues.

The pandemic has created a "state of permanent crisis," which, according to Medek, necessitates "more intensive communication" from all organizations. This sustained demand means communication consultants "have more work than usual," presenting a "big opportunity, but also a big responsibility" for the profession.

After 18 years, Media Val, an agency with five partners, realized its "a bit on Monday, a bit on Wednesday" management style for a team of "over thirty" was no longer sustainable. They responded by bringing in an Executive Director and undergoing a "complete reorganization." Growth demands formal leadership and structure, even in established businesses.

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