Do the Bulgarian Media Have a Social Marketing Orientation?

Abstract The paper examines the problem of building a media environment through a socially responsible management model. The specific nature of this part of the non-production sphere – media business organisations – provides an opportunity to present a study of a relatively new phenomenon: the role of socially responsible marketing in mass media. A study of the importance of socially responsible marketing according to the practice of regional media in Bulgaria is presented, including a continuum review, nonstandardised interviews, and a survey of media teams and users applied. Answers are sought to the questions of how socially engaged the media are and what the expectations of their users are. The study shows that the monitored media produces products that objectively and impartially reflect social issues of public importance. However, there is a significant discrepancy between assessment and self-assessment of their contribution to public life. From the interviews conducted with journalists, it is clear that the media self-assess exceptionally highly as responsible participants in public life. However, users give a "two" on the five-point scale for the social role of the media. The main conclusion is that the creation of a socially responsible and alternative media space through social marketing approaches is essential for the effective functioning of a sustainable and solidary society.