Media and democracy in the Western Balkans and Turkey: alarming trends unveiled

The study highlights significant challenges facing press freedom, media sustainability, and public trust in journalism.

“We really need radical changes, radical initiatives, and measures to prevent media from losing their reputation and importance in our democracies,” said Anida Sokol, one of the researchers from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The study was conducted as part of the “Our Media” project, implemented by the South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM) and partners, with financial support from the European Union.

Based on nearly 200 indicators, the study assesses crucial aspects such as press freedom, audience trust, media consumption habits, and working conditions in journalism. To promote transparency, the data has been made available on an interactive online platform, allowing users to explore country-specific trends and compare findings across the region.

Key findings show worrying trends

One of the key findings is the precarious working conditions of journalists, characterized by low salaries and job insecurity, leaving them vulnerable to political and economic pressure.

“In most countries in the region, attacks and violations of journalists’ rights are on the rise, which is deeply concerning,” Sokol emphasized.

The situation is particularly severe in Turkey, where journalists face imprisonment, interrogation, and surveillance. The study also highlights the growing prevalence of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), often initiated by political leaders or individuals linked to political parties.

“However, these cases are rarely monitored or officially documented, as they are not recognized by national legislation.”

Another concerning trend is the significant decline in the number of journalism students across the region. In North Macedonia, for example, the number of journalism students in 2023 was only 11% of what it was a decade ago.

Financial instability remains a critical issue. Researchers say they faced difficulties in collecting data on media financing due to a lack of transparency. Many media outlets rely on public funding distributed through subsidies and grants, but without clear guarantees of editorial independence.

“There are no proper evaluations of public funding, no transparency, and no well-defined purpose. Opportunities have been missed to use public funding as a tool for media democratization,” Sokol states.

The study also notes a sharp increase in the number of online media outlets over the past decade, accompanied by a decline in public trust. Trust in the media varies widely across the region, ranging from just 15% in Bosnia and Herzegovina to 53% in Albania. This decline reflects growing awareness of political influence over editorial policies, as well as broader skepticism towards institutions and democracy itself.

Silencing journalists: the growing threat in Turkey and Serbia

Beyond statistics, Banu Tuna from the Journalist Union of Turkey shared troubling insights into the increasingly dire situation for journalists in her country. At the panel discussion following the results presentation, she said that the most common instruments used to silence the press are anti-terror and disinformation laws. She also highlighted the rise in the suspension of social media accounts.

“As of today, 22 journalists are in prison. The disinformation law, which passed in October 2022, has been used against around 70 journalists in just two years. And now there’s a new law proposal on cybersecurity that includes articles endangering journalists’ right to information and the protection of their sources,” said Tuna.

Tuna’s concerns about media repression were echoed by Tamara Filipović Stefanović from the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia. In their regional database, 131 cases of attacks on journalists have been recorded in 2024.

“Also, together with Amnesty International, we documented the surveillance of some journalists. Malicious viruses were installed on journalists’ phones, and their screens were monitored by security agencies. This is a significant escalation in the insecurity faced by journalists in Serbia,” she explained.

The struggle for workers’ rights and union membership

In an atmosphere of fear for their safety, many journalists avoid joining unions and fighting for better working conditions, as agreed upon by the panelists. “I lost my job because I was a member of the union,” admitted Banu Tuna, illustrating the harsh reality for those advocating for workers’ rights.

Dražen Đurašković, from the Trade Union of Montenegro, painted a similar picture. “Journalists usually fight for everyone’s rights except their own,” he remarked. He emphasized that solidarity among journalists is essential.

“We strongly believe that if we build solidarity, we will be stronger in demanding better working conditions. We must engage more with young people entering journalism, as well as high school students, and present to them the core values of journalism. It’s not a fast solution, but we believe it’s necessary,” claimed Đurašković.

Financial struggles and state dependence

Panelists also agreed on the research findings that economic pressure is one of the main levers used against independent media outlets. Filipović pointed out that Serbia spent almost 17 million euros on media support.

“But the thing is, this money is given to pro-government media with editorial policies aligned with the government,” she explained. “If project co-financing by state were fair and done by professional evaluation committees, the funding cuts we are facing now from foreign donors would not affect local and Serbian media as much.”

Srdjan Ivanović, a journalist at Sloboden Pečat, one of the four remaining print media outlets in North Macedonia, said they also depend on state funding.

“We are surviving only because the government is willing to support us. We have a government assistance program for covering printing and distribution costs,” he said. “But one problem is that there is no fixed payment date, so the government could pay on December 31, and many outlets could close before they receive the money. So, we are highly dependent on the government,” Ivanović added.

They are now aiming for total digitalization as they see it as the way out of the crisis.
“For example, last month we had 40.2 million engagements just on Instagram, which tells us that Macedonians don’t want to pay for newspapers, but they want free media,” concluded Ivanović.

The changing role of journalism and the youth’s perspective

The next generation of journalists is acutely aware of the challenges in the field, said Lejla Turčilo from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo. Many students, she said, are leaving journalism in favor of public relations.

“They don’t feel like it’s worth investing intellectually or, as seen in many cases in the region, risking their lives and existence. And they also say that journalism no longer leads to societal change,” Turčilo explained.

However, there are signs of hope. Some believe that increasing female representation in journalism could lead to positive changes. Una Čilić, Digital Broadcast Editor at Radio Free Europe, shared how the approach to reporting on issues like violence against women has shifted as a result of women becoming the majority in the workforce.

“We no longer report femicide as a crime; we report it as a societal issue. We discuss what needs to be done, institutional responses, and we report with less and less sensationalism,” says Čilić.

Restoring trust and relevance

This example shows, believes Turčilo, that the future of journalism lies in restoring public trust and reaffirming the media’s role as a societal guide.

“We need to show students and future journalists that journalism still matters,” she stated. “The role of journalists is not just to provide information but to help the audience understand and orient themselves in society.”

According to Turčilo, educators must equip future journalists with the necessary skills to become engaged intellectuals rather than mere content creators. This, she believes, will be essential in securing a future where journalism remains a vital force in society.

*This article was originally published on seenpm.org.

(VK)