EBU calls for protection of PSB in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The collapse of public service broadcasting in Bosnia and Herzegovina would be “completely unacceptable,” attendees at an EBU event in Sarajevo heard this week.

The conference was organised to address fears that public service media could collapse in the country due to insufficient and unsustainable funding and the need for reforms to media law.

“Strong public service media is essential for the social, democratic and economic wellbeing of the country,” said EBU director general Ingrid Deltenre.

MEP Cristian Preda added: “The idea of a future member state of the EU without public service media is unthinkable. It is as much an issue of European law as it is an issue pertaining to the democratic character of the country.”

The EBU, which represents public service broadcasters, called for urgent financial help for Bosnian national broadcaster, BHRT, and said there needed to be public service media reform in the mid term to ensure “independent, professional and credible broadcasting”.

The conference was held in in the offices of BHRT and was organised by the EBU, BHRT, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Journalist Association, the Council of Europe, the Office of the OSCE Representative of Freedom of the Media, the European Federation of Journalists and the South East Europe Media Organisation.