BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA MEDIA SUSTAINABILITY INDEX 2019 Tracking Development of Sustainable Independent Media Around the World BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA AT A GLANCE GENERAL MEDIA-SPECIFIC ▶ Population: 3,531,159 (Population Census ▶ GDP $18.17 billion (World Bank Development ▶ Number of active print outlets: Print: 8 daily ▶ News agencies: FENA (state-owned), SRNA 2013) Indicators, 2017) newspapers, 181 periodicals (magazines, (state-owned), ONASA (private), NINA ▶ Capital city: Sarajevo ▶ GNI per capita (Atlas Method): $4,940 publications of diverse content) (Press (private), MINA (Islamic Community in B&H), Council of B&H, 2018); radio stations: 140; KTA BK B&H (Conference of Bishops of ▶ Ethnic groups: Bosniaks 50.11%, Serbs (World Bank Development Indicators, 2017) television stations: 41 (in terrestrial network), B&H), Anadolu Agency (owned by Turkish 30.78%, Croats 15.43%, Others 3.68% ▶ Literacy rate: 97.18%, Male 99.21%, Female (Population Census 2013) 95.24% (Population Census 2013) plus 51 broadcasters in other networks (CRA government), Patria (private) (Press Council of of B&H, 2018) B&H, 2018) ▶ Religions: Muslim 50.7%, Orthodox 30.75%, ▶ President or top authority: Members of B&H Roman Catholic 15.19%, other 3.36% presidency: Milorad Dodik (since November ▶ Newspaper circulation statistics: N/A; ▶ Annual advertising revenue in media (Population Census 2013) 20, 2018), Željko Komšić (since November 20, reach of dailies between 1.4% and 8.4%, sector: 22.09 million Euro in 2018; television: 2018), and Šefik Džaferović (since November one media outlet reached 20.5% (IPSOS, 60%, print 7%, out-of-home 14%, radio 7%, ▶ Languages: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, and September 2016) online 12% (est., Fabrika) others (Population Census 2013) 20, 2018) ▶ Broadcast ratings: Top-three television ▶ Internet usage: 3,064,072 or 86.77% of stations: FTV (10.35%), Nova BH (6.85%), population (CRA of B&H, 2017) OBN (6.72%) (audience share 2017, Fabrika) ▶ Mobile subscriptions: 3,404,085, i.e. 97.42 % of population (CRA, 2017) ▶ Social media users: 1,500,000 or 42.8 % percent of Facebook users (Internet World Stats, 2017). Facebook is by far the most used social network, but Instagram is increasingly used among younger citizens. MEDIA SUSTAINABILITY INDEX: BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA SCORE KEY Unsustainable, Anti-Free Press (0–1): Country does not meet or only minimally meets objectives. Government and laws actively hinder free media development, professionalism SUSTAINABLE is low, and media-industry activity is minimal. Unsustainable Mixed System (1–2): Country minimally meets objectives, with segments of the legal system and NEAR government opposed to a free media system. Evident progress 2.56 2.46 SUSTAINABILITY 2.36 in free-press advocacy, increased professionalism, and new 2.26 2.23 2.24 2.23 2.20 media businesses may be too recent to judge sustainability. 2.18 2.15 2.12 2.03 2.02 1.95 1.86 1.86 Near Sustainability (2–3): Country has progressed in meeting 1.83 1.80 1.80 1.77 1.67 1.64 multiple objectives, with legal norms, professionalism, and the 1.58 SUSTAINABILITY 1.56 1.46 business environment supportive of independent media. Advances MIXED SYSTEM 1.39 UNSUSTAINABLE 1.36 1.33 have survived changes in government and have been codified in 1.23 law and practice. However, more time may be needed to ensure 1.05 that change is enduring and that increased professionalism and the media business environment are sustainable. 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 UNSUSTAINABLE ANTI-FREE PRESS Sustainable (3–4): Country has media that are considered FREE PROFESSIONAL PLURALITY OF BUSINESS SUPPORTING generally professional, free, and sustainable, or to be approaching SPEECH JOURNALISM NEWS SOURCES MANAGEMENT INSTITUTIONS these objectives. Systems supporting independent media OBJECTIVES have survived multiple governments, economic fluctuations, and changes in public opinion or social conventions. Scores for all years may be found online at https://www.irex.org/msi osnia and Herzegovina (B&H) remains, political and media landscapes were full of besides Albania, the only country in divisive rhetoric, accusations, and nationalistic OVERALL SCORE the region without European Union narratives. The often tense talks with (EU) candidate-country status. In representatives of neighboring countries and February 2018, B&H finally submitted allegations of influence from Russia and Turkey 1.74 answers to the European Commission’s within B&H have aggravated this behavior. Bquestionnaire. However, it needs to submit Things culminated with media reports on the answers to an additional 655 new questions activities of paramilitary pro-Russian groups in B&H’s media sector struggles to aimed at clarifying some issues in the the RS and a May visit from Turkish President thrive, with main impediments questionnaire. Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a pre-election rally held in Sarajevo. to progress centering around Leading political party representatives’ a weak economic environment discussions over amendments to the Milorad Dodik, president of the SNSD party, for media, a lack of quality and election law have failed, even though in was elected as the Serbian member of the B&H diversity in media content, 2016 the Constitutional Court deemed parts presidency. Since his inauguration, he has political interference in editorial of it unconstitutional because of unequal continued with inflammatory and secessionist policies, and impunity for pressure representation in the House of Peoples of the rhetoric, claiming to represent the interests of and attacks on journalists. Of Federation of B&H. the RS primarily. the five objectives studied in The general elections in October 2018 Since March 2018, protestors have gathered the MSI, professional journalism consolidated the position of the Alliance of daily in Banja Luka to demand that police and and business management Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) in the prosecutors disclose information about the were the lowest scored, and Republika Srpska (RS), while the Party of death of 21-year-old David Dragičević. Police B&H’s overall score of 1.74 Democratic Action (SDA) remained in power in RS initially deemed his death an accident, places it in the “unsustainable in B&H. Željko Komšić of the Democratic but Dragičević’s parents insist he was killed mixed system” classification. Front Party won the election for the Croat and that the police covered up the case. The representative in the presidency of B&H, Pravda za Davida (Justice for David) movement which consists of one Bosniak, one Croat, and has brought together thousands of people one Serb. Komšić defeated Dragan Čović of from all over B&H and morphed into protests the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and against corruption and the ruling parties in RS Herzegovina (HDZ) with the majority of Bosniak and B&H. votes, prompting Croats to accuse Bosniaks of marginalizing Croats, furthering calls for In 2018, the country became an important the creation of a third entity. (B&H has two transit route for migrants from the Middle administrative units called entities: Federation East, Asia, and Africa attempting to reach the of B&H and RS. Croatian leaders advocate for a EU. The number of migrants and the lack of third entity, which they claim would guarantee logistical and financial support from higher better protection for the rights of Croats in administrative levels prompted protests in the B&H.) Both before and after the elections, the Krajina region. 3 MEDIA SUSTAINABILITY INDEX 2019 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA OBJECTIVE 1: step forward.” She is, however, suspicious of what example, numerous news portals appeared during FREEDOM OF will happen once the adoption of the law proceeds the 2018 election campaign, many with clearly SPEECH 2.24 beyond the engagement of the working group. biased reporting. Some of these platforms do The selection process for the members of not adhere to the self-regulatory norms, which is There are fairly good formal guarantees of the CRA Council, which leads the CRA in strategic overseen by the Press Council of B&H. Media do not freedom of speech in B&H, and the score for issues, has been politicized. The CRA Council receive tax breaks, although some panelists believe freedom of speech remains highest among all members’ mandate expired at the end of 2017, and that with print media struggling with sustainability, five objectives. The country registered some the council has not yet appointed new members. they should receive some state support. improvements, primarily regarding demands for The ad hoc commission that should conduct In the past year, journalists have been exposed legislation to increase transparency of media, in the appointment procedure and shortlist the to harsh attacks and were poorly protected. addition to aligning court practice in libel cases candidates has yet to be confirmed, and proposed According to data from the Association of BH with international standards. members might change with the newly established Journalists, there were 55 registered instances of government. The previously proposed members of attacks and pressure against journalists, including 11 Laws in B&H guarantee media freedoms and the ad hoc commission included three represen- verbal threats and political pressure, seven physical include freedom of information legislation, tatives of associations (and three representatives attacks, and 22 labor disputes and workplace defamation, and communications laws. However, of relevant authorities, in accordance with the law), harassment. Some examples include the verbal legislation on the transparency of media ownership but the panelists argued that there was a conflict attacks and threats to journalist Marko Divković and advertising is still lacking. Civil society organi- of interest. “One of them is a representative of the and cameraman Enes Muratović of Sarajevo-based zations drafted laws on the transparency of media Association of Radio Stations of RS, which is a clear BHT1, as well as a physical attack on Nedžad Latić, ownership and advertising at the end of 2018, conflict of interest.