Context

Media outlets in Bosnia and Herzegovina operate within an impoverished, oversaturated and captured market, under unfavorable political and economic conditions. The political climate is marked by divisive rhetoric and continuous disputes among ethno-national political elites. Accordingly, most media outlets are divided along ethno-national and political party lines.

The majority of media organizations lack the revenue and capacity necessary for independent and professional journalism and must compete for their market share. Many are affiliated with local political parties and business circles, receiving funds through subsidies and grants from public budgets that facilitate political meddling in editorial affairs.

While laws and regulations safeguarding the freedom of expression and access to information exit, their implementation has proved challenging. In recent years, increasingly regressive legal measures with considerable potential to curb media freedom in the country have been adopted, with more such measures planned for adoption in the near future. Moreover, there are no laws regulating media ownership transparency or limiting the monopolization of the media market. The allocation of public funds to the media is largely non-transparent and arbitrary, without precise criteria and evaluations by expert commissions.

Although television remains the primary source of information for the general public, online media and social networks are more popular among younger generations, a trend which impacts the broader media landscape in terms of both production and quality.

History

During the 1992-1995 war, numerous local radio stations were established for war propaganda purposes in BiH, and many TV and radio broadcasters continued to disseminate hatred even after the war ended. To curb war-mongering rhetoric and hate speech, as well as to regulate the broadcasting sector, the Independent Media Commission was established in 1998 by the High Representative in BiH. In 2001, its competencies were merged with the Telecommunications

Society

According to the 2013 Census, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has a total population of 3,531,159, a decrease from the 1991 Census which recorded a total population of 4,377,033.
The Federation of BiH is home to 2,219,220 people, while the Republika Srpska has a population of 1,228,423, and the District of Brčko has 83,516 residents.
Women slightly outnumber men, comprising 50.9 % of the population, with an average age of 39.5 years

Politics

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a parliamentary democracy with a highly complex and asymmetric government structure. This political system, established by the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, is based on consociationalism, ensures power sharing among the country's three constituent peoples – Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats – and provides veto mechanisms for these groups. The Presidency consists of three representative members: one Bosniak, one Serb, and one Croat.

Economy

According to the Economic Freedom Index, Bosnia and Herzegovina has a score of 62.9, ranking 35th out of 44 European countries. The country has a convoluted and fragmented regulatory framework that hampers business freedom, and the economy has been adversely affected by the global economic slowdown.
The Central Bank of BiH estimates an overall inflation rate of 9.7% for the first six months of 2023. Despite declining inflation rates, economic activities have continued

Media Consumption

Television remains the primary source of information for the general public in BiH, although younger generations increasingly rely on online media and social networks. A March 2021 IPSOS poll conducted for the Resilience project in collaboration with Mediacentar Sarajevo revealed that 71% of respondents use television daily for news, while 50% turn to social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube), and 33% follow online

Technology

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are no regulations that specifically relate to social networks. Only recently, discussions among civil society and the media have been opened about the role of big tech companies, such as Meta, in freedom of expression and in spreading harmful content. Discussions have especially taken place in the light of the newly adopted Digital Service Act in the EU, which serves a model for any future regulation in the country.

Law

Bosnia and Herzegovina has robust laws and regulations designed to safeguard freedom of expression and access to information, along with solid regulatory and self-regulatory frameworks. However, the effective implementation of these legislative, regulatory, and self-regulatory measures has been lacking. Increasingly regressive measures which encroach on media freedoms in the country have been adopted in recent years, with more slated for adoption