Blagovest Njagulov, Médias et histoire en Bulgarie contemporaine
Against the background of changes in the media and historical science during the transition to democracy and market economy after the end of the communist regime, the author offers his vision for the presence of history in the media in contemporary Bulgaria. The paper presents some observations and examples on the subject without exhausting it. The media play an important role in the dissemination of historical knowledge and are the terrain for the most significant discussions on current and controversial aspects of Bulgarian history, such as the periods of Ottoman rule and communist regime. The national discourse on the past dominates in the mass media, while critical reflections on national history remain in the background. The explanations are sought in the context of the nation state and in the heritage and present state of historical science. The paper discusses in more detail the case of history on television. As the most representative public tribune of Bulgarian historians nowadays stands out the TV show History.BG broadcast on Bulgarian National Television − Channel 1. The notions of national history offered by many other such TV shows over the last few years are as varied as historical knowledge of the past. The author also draws attention to the problems of the public importance of history and the role of public history, as well to the relationship between history and journalism as similar disciplines that contribute to a better management of the present and foreseeing the future.