In a Vicious Cycle: Is There a Future for Public Service Broadcasting in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
In a Vicious Cycle: Is There a Future for Public Service Broadcasting in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Author(s): Tea Hadžiristić
Subject(s): Politics, Media studies, Communication studies, Public Finances
Published by: Analitika – Centar za društvena istraživanja
Keywords: BiH; media; public service broadcasting; finances; politics;
Summary/Abstract: Since its creation in 2002, Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) in Bosnia and Herzegovina has struggled to fulfil its primary goals. Financial difficulties have brought the state broadcaster near the brink of collapse several times, while state capture by political parties has politicized PSB across the board2 and increased its dysfunction. Our research found that PSB in BiH has failed to secure a sustainable funding model, is not independent from politics, does not fulfil its remit, and has failed to adopt new technologies crucial to its continued relevance and survival. PSB is a victim of the political colonization of the media sphere, and weak, dysfunctional state institutions that suffer from the chronic disregard for the law demonstrated by ruling elites. At the same time, the ongoing debate about PSB in BiH is largely anachronistic, and fails to capture the core challenges and to articulate much needed innovative policy solutions that would look beyond the now largely outdated, defunct model of PSB that was introduced in 2002.

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