| Bosnia and Herzegovina ・ Journalism under threat |
Bosnian national TV is going through its darkest chapter since its inception. On 7 May, the national broadcasting company BHRT revoked all permits to the federal TV RTVFBiH. With only a few hours’ notice, all transmissions ceased. According to BHRT, the debts piled up by RTVFBiH are not allowing the correct functioning of the transmissions, but the reality is that the entire public TV is on its knees because of financial distress. TV in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a complex mix of names and companies: there’s BHRT, which broadcasts throughout the country; RTVFBiH which is the main public channel in the Federation; and RTRS which is the main public channel in Republika Srpska.
On top of this, there’s an endemic problem of corruption and mismanagement of public resources that is pushing the entire system toward collapse. In February, BHRT failed to reach a deal with the national electric company, Elektroprivreda, to collect the money from the TV licence directly in the electrical bills, providing at least a minimal source of income to the television, and today the situation is desperate. The European Federation of Journalists sent President Maja Sever to mediate between managers, and the local authorities to find a possible solution to this ongoing crisis, which threatens the jobs of hundreds of workers and media freedom in BiH.
| Alessandro Cinciripini The national Bosnian TV has been a real mess for ages. The entire system has been a playground for managers and politicians to expand their influence. This has resulted in scandals, mismanagement of funds, and corruption. In the latest report from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Bosnia dropped 17 positions in the rankings for press freedom. The Bosnian government doesn’t have a clue how to save the television. This is complicating the relationship with the EU, which is already concerned about Bosnia’s low standards for media. Finally, there are hundreds of professionals who are not being paid regularly, and they are unable to work properly, compromising the quality of service for their audience. |