Balkan Diskurs is proud to announce the finalization of the research project “Real Voice of Journalism (RVJ)”, implemented by PCRC in cooperation with Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) BiH and the WARM Foundation Sarajevo.
Balkan Diskurs is proud to announce the finalization of the research project “Real Voice of Journalism (RVJ)”, implemented by PCRC in cooperation with Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) BiH and the WARM Foundation Sarajevo. This project was initiated in October 2017 with the aim to improve the overall position of journalists and activists and to prevent further violations to freedom of expression in BiH and was delivered over a period of nine months, during which time 30 local journalists and reporters of varying demographic backgrounds and from a variety of media houses were interviewed.
The extensive research findings released throughout the course of the project revealed the real-life, everyday struggles that journalist and reporters face in their efforts to produce unbiased, objective, and relevant content. The outcomes of the research can be accessed in the final report “Real Voice of Journalism: report on the state of media freedom in 17 local communities in BiH”, which was presented during an official launch conference held in Sarajevo on 18 May 2018. In addition to its offline publication, the Real Voice of Journalism report was made available online on both the Balkan Diskurs and PCRC websites. A total of six articles related to the research findings were also published online and include:
“BiH’s Media Landscape: Unsustainable and Partially Free’’
“Local Media in BiH: Financial Dependence and Political Influence“
“Media Landscape in Republika Srpska: Polarization and Financial Dependence”
“Herzegovina’s Media: A Problem of Ideology and Self-censorship“
“Only journalists can fight for serious and independent journalism’’
Throughout the project timeframe, the project and its research findings were additionally promoted via a strategic social media communications strategy. As a result, the report and its complimentary articles reached a combined audience of more than 102,000 visitors in its first month online. Project products were also shared with Balkan Diskurs’ and PCRC’s social media audience (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter platforms), which reach a combined audience of over 9,500 followers. To date, the project has reached a total of more than 274,000 people through both online and offline activities.
This project is funded by the European Union through the small grants programme “Protecting Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression in the Western Balkans” implemented by the Croatian Journalists’ Association as part of the regional project “Western Balkan’s Regional Platform for Advocating Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety”, which is carried out through the partnership of six regional journalists’ associations – Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS), Association of BH Journalists (BHJ), Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA), Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM), and Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (TUMM).
