Europe & Eurasia

Bosnia & Herzegovina

{This graph represents scores that have been modified by CIMA so that higher scores indicate a better media situation. It is intended to show trends over time; each index measures significantly different factors of press freedom. To see an explanation for how this graph was created, click here.}

IREX Score: 2.20	[IREX Methodology]
{Higher is Better, Score Ranges from 0 to 4.00}

IREX Description:

Political disputes and polarization within Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) deepened in 2010. Overall, Bosnia's score sank significantly compared with last year, as it lost 0.38 point. Each objective fell at least modestly, with Objective 1 (freedom of speech), Objective 4 (business management), and Objective 5 (supporting institutions) taking the most serious hits.

Partly due to the political polarization that intensified during the election period, the negative trends identified in last year's MSI study continued in 2010. But even more so, the overall decline of the media sector was caused by the accumulated consequences of the economic crisis evidenced by an additional drop in advertising revenues. The political parallelism and problematic financial circumstances also caused a decline in professional standards, particularly impartiality and balance.

Read more on IREX’s site…

Freedom House Score: 48 (Partly Free)	[Freedom House Methodology]
{Lower is Better, Score Ranges from 0 to 100}

Freedom House Description:

Freedom of the press in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is guaranteed by the constitution as well as the human rights annex to the Dayton Peace Accords. Freedom of information is protected by law, but institutions are often slow to respond to journalists’ requests.
An independent Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA) licenses and monitors broadcast media. The Press Council, a self-regulatory body for print outlets, responds to alleged violations of the Press Code. The state-level public broadcaster, BHRT, and the CRA faced political and financial pressure during the year, threatening their independence and effectiveness. The central government blocked the independently selected general director of the CRA from taking office, and the issue remained unresolved at year’s end. Meanwhile, Republika Srpska (RS) officials repeatedly attacked BHRT, urging residents not to pay the fees that supported it.

Europe & Eurasia

Bosnia & Herzegovina

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