In my master’s thesis, I discuss the historical development of the television show Tarča, which is one of the flagship shows of Radiotelevision Slovenia. As one of the key projects of investigative journalism, and due to its high viewership and viewers’ trust, Tarča frequently takes on the role of a political actor. Political and institutional actors are often compelled to respond to new information presented on Tarča. The thesis examines the influence of Tarča on Slovenian politics through the case of the cancelled consultative referendum on the construction of the second unit of the nuclear power plant in Krško (JEK 2). The referendum was called off just days after Tarča published secret audio recordings of discussions among members of parliament. The theoretical section covers media effects theories (agenda-setting, priming, framing), mediatization, journalism’s watchdog role, and research on investigative journalism in Slovenia. In the empirical part, I reconstructed the development of Tarča’s concept, format, and editorial structure since its first broadcast in 2003, dividing it into three distinct stages. Through a case study on the show’s impact on the cancellation of the referendum on JEK 2, I demonstrated how the disclosure of the recordings, by influencing public opinion, contributed to the political decision to cancel the vote. The thesis shows that Tarča has become an important player in the political arena, and that, through its editorial autonomy and investigative content, it can function as a catalyst for political responses, as seen in the JEK 2 case.
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