The media in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) depends on public, partisan and government funding. Meanwhile BiH journalists lack institutional protection, and therefore need an improvement in the media legislative framework. This is what research shows, conducted among 80 journalists from across Bosnia and Herzegovina, of various ages and genders, working in print and electronic, private and public media.
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.
At the eighth training for Balkan Diskurs youth correspondents, organized by the Post-Conflict Research Center, young people from 13 cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina learned basic skills in investigative and citizen journalism, as well as documentary photography.
The importance of regional cooperation and solidarity in the fight against right-wing extremism are part of the conclusions of the Podgorica Plenum “Quo Vadis Balkan,” held from February 10th to 12th in Montenegro, with prominent intellectual, academic, and political leaders from the region.
Gender-based violence is receiving more and more media coverage in Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, the basic principles of ethical journalism are often violated for the sake of publishing more sensational content, which often results in the re-traumatization of victims and their families.
Radio Active Zenica is one of the first community radio stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. No crime reporting, politics, or advertisements can be found on Radio Active, only positive stories and a lot of good music.