It was the English poet and civil servant, John Milton, who said of free speech: “For this is the freedom that most of all gives happiness or misery, or success or disappointment, or honor or shame.” This statement remains one of the most powerful on this topic, as it recognizes a fundamental truth about human nature: we, as a species, naturally aspire to freedom. Humans are beings who impose boundaries and frameworks. We are taught modes of behavior and we go through life alongside them. Freedom of speech is inherent within all freedoms. In the modern world, where fluent discourse is propagated, hidden forms of censorship often arise.
the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) in Sarajevo has published an official research report on the state of media freedom in 17 local BiH communities that reveals the real-life, everyday struggles that journalist and reporters face in their efforts to produce unbiased, objective, and relevant content.
Some key questions to ask when analyzing the role of the objective local media in BiH is: How marginalized are those outlets that are reporting to the public and do they serve any other purpose than that of marketing and political promotion?
“At this time, it is important that all citizens, regardless of their differences, understand that we are facing a political machine that threatens our right to life through the systematic destruction of our institutions,” Golubovska explains.
In a young country where unfettered freedom of the press is one of the main foundation pillars of statehood, it is reasonable for one to expect unbiased and free media. In theory, BiH is a media haven. However, when re-evaluated, the practice tells us an entirely different story.