Josip Popovac

Josip Popovac was born in 1974. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb. Mr. Popovac spent most of his career at Croatian Radio Television (HRT) – working there over the past twenty years as a Producer, Line Producer of HTV’s Drama Program, and HTV’s Executive Producer. From 2009 to 2011, he was the acting Director General of HRT, managing business operations, and representing the institution. From 2011 to 2012, he was the President of the Management Board and interim Director General of HRT, responsible for all segments relating to management of this public radio and television institution. He was also responsible for the implementation of decisions made by HRT’s Program Council and Supervisory Board. From 2010 to 2013, he served as the President of the European Association of Public Service Media in Southeast Europe. During 2013, he was HRT’s Line Producer, and from 2013 to 2017, he was at the helm of the Production Management department and the Assistant Director of HRT’s Production.

Mr. Popovac joined the Electronic Media Council, moving from the position of Manager of HTV’s Selection and Procurement Department. On June 29^th, 2018, the Croatian Parliament appointed Mr. Popovac a Member of the Electronic Media Council. At the same Parliament Session, the decision was also made to appoint Mr. Popovac President of the Electronic Media Council and Director of the Agency for Electronic Media from September 1^st, 2018. In 2022, he was re-elected for a five-year term as Director of the Agency and President of the Electronic Media Council.

At the end of March 2026 the Act on the Implementation of the Regulation establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market and amending Directive 2010/13/EU, i.e. the act ensuring the implementation of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), entered into force. Despite the direct applicability of EMFA and its primacy over national legislation, the need to adopt a national implementing regulation emerged.

The resulting implementation act transformed the Electronic Media Agency into the new Media Regulatory Authority, establishing a stronger independent regulatory body with expanded responsibilities and consolidating regulatory oversight over the entire media sector. Thus, the Electronic Media Council became the Media Council, and Josip Popovac became the President of the Media Council and Director of the Media Regulatory Authority.