The future of professional journalism is bleak. We clearly demonstrated that in a series of reports on the future of media and journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey, published at the beginning of 2025.

 

There are many reasons for this conclusion: from a poor advertising market, the influence of social media and search engines, to changes in audience media habits, where role models are no longer journalists but YouTubers and TikTokers, and to political agendas in which media freedom is not a priority but a threat. Moreover, public trust in media has eroded, partly due to sensationalist and propaganda-spreading outlets, but also due to the low level of media literacy among the public, which neither understands journalistic standards nor considers them important.

 

Strong, professional, and sustainable media in the future require a high level of democracy, stable and independent sources of funding, an environment that values and supports the profession, and laws that protect it while also enforcing responsibility – all of which are lacking in the Western Balkans, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A high level of ethics and professionalism among journalists is also needed, as well as politicians and public figures who condemn attacks on journalists rather than incite them.

 

 

Despite expectations that the journalism profession would continue facing growing challenges, we did not foresee the extent and speed of the collapse of traditional media and journalism in 2025, both globally and regionally.

 

We might have expected survival – or even slow extinction – of some media under pressure from markets and power structures, but not that hundreds of media workers in the Western Balkans would lose their jobs this year.

 

First, in January, Donald Trump cut off USAID, which affected media funded through grants and led to layoffs of journalists in the region. Important media and free expression projects were also canceled, including the annual IREX report on the state of media and press freedom worldwide, which Mediacentar had prepared for Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2004.

 

This was followed by Trump’s March decision to significantly reduce support for USAGM, which led to layoffs at Voice of America, terminated contracts of Radio Free Europe contributors, and cast serious doubt on that outlet’s survival. In just six months of his second term, Trump caused immeasurable damage to media freedoms and further emboldened authoritarian politicians to persist in their rhetoric and actions against journalists, including those in the Western Balkans.

 

Then came the sudden and unexpected closure of Al Jazeera Balkans in July, leaving over 200 employees in the region jobless. This closure is particularly alarming considering the outlet’s stable funding, high professional standards, and good working conditions – something local media in BiH and the region cannot offer. Although it’s clear the outlet’s fate depended on the interests of Qatar’s government, the loss for the public in the region is enormous due to its high-quality news, documentaries, and programming covering regional and global issues like climate change and the genocide in Gaza.

 

What is more disturbing than the speed of these decisions, or at least their announcements, is the lack of clear arguments to justify them, such as poor business performance. These moves were the result of aggressive attacks by U.S. President Donald Trump on the media and geopolitical interests of the Qatari government, in which the fate of journalists and the public’s right to information are among the least important concerns.

 

The message from these decisions is clear: journalism and public interest are not priorities for decision-makers or media owners. Political, geopolitical, economic, or private interests of those in power outweigh both democracy and journalism.

 

Let us not forget that alongside these major external blows to the region’s media sector, attacks from local Balkan politicians also intensified in 2025, particularly in Serbia, where Aleksandar Vučić’s rhetoric and attacks on journalists continue unabated. Media freedoms in BiH are also in constant decline: Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked 33rd on Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index twenty years ago; this year, it has dropped to 86th – a statistic that clearly shows the downward trajectory of journalism and press freedom in the country.

 

 

For journalism to survive in the future, it needs financial resources, but not money that comes with strings attached: banned topics, flattering stories about funders, or interference in editorial policy. High-quality journalism, especially television production, is expensive and requires serious funding to produce quality reports, documentaries, and investigative pieces that take months to complete. On local markets and from local budgets, such funding sources are nonexistent – marketing-based funding usually demands sensationalism and overproduction, while public budget funding often means favorable reporting on those who control the funds.

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s advertising market is not developed enough to support high production values or a large number of media outlets. The total estimated value of the ad market in BiH in 2023, according to Direct Media, was between €41 and €47 million, roughly the same as in 2013. Although it has somewhat recovered from the pandemic, the market remains significantly weaker than it was ten years ago, especially considering the number of media outlets has continued to grow over the past two decades. This is largely due to the rapid rise in online portals, though the number of TV stations has also increased significantly: in 2002 there were 30 stations, while in 2024 there were 111.

 

A greater number of information sources is good for media pluralism if those media adhere to high standards, original or specialized content, and diversity of opinion. However, in BiH, online outlets and various portals mostly republish others’ news or spread propaganda, while commercial TV and radio stations primarily broadcast entertainment content.

 

The large number of media that mostly repeat the same content or serve political goals actually harms the profession and media pluralism, damages journalism’s reputation, and erodes audience trust. Such “media” employ few people, offer poor working conditions and low-quality production, and do not inspire future journalists. There are exceptions, of course, small local newsrooms that are specialized or critically report on decision-makers, but their number in BiH is very small. Journalism needs large professional newsrooms and quality local media to protect the profession’s reputation and inspire young people to pursue the calling.

 

Relying on marketing, except in the case of conscious advertisers, also means hyperproduction, clickable and sensationalist content, and the absence of criticism of advertisers. In recent decades, media have competed with influencers, search engines, and social networks for both audiences and advertising money. Social media play a significant role in reaching the audience and revenue, favoring entertaining and clickable content over public interest journalism. Newsrooms must adapt their formats and content to these algorithms. It goes without saying that the primary interest of private tech companies is commercial, not public, and their future accountability can only be enforced through regulation.

 

Public budgets also contain funds for media, but this source undermines professional standards even more than others, as it typically comes with dictated editorial lines. While it represents a steady and secure source of funding, the amounts allocated, except in the case of several cantonal TV stations, are only enough to cover basic production costs and keep local outlets obedient. Public support for media in BiH has never taken hold: while there are a few examples of loyal readers and supporters contributing, it is not enough for sustainability.

 

 

It is not just political decisions or the advertising market that set the rules – audiences and technology will ultimately decide the profession’s fate. Technology and media habits have changed drastically in the past decade – YouTubers and TikTokers, as well as short video and audiovisual formats, have become sources of information for many generations and competition for media in the advertising market.

 

Television in the Western Balkans remains the most frequent source of information and consumes the largest share of the advertising market, but surveys show this trend is declining, and online media and social networks will soon take the lead. A growing share of the advertising market is shifting to online content creators, raising questions about the future of television and traditional media in general. It is worth noting that BiH has lost its most important political magazines, the daily press is barely hanging on, and radio, though it has a small audience share, survives mainly due to music and relatively low production costs.

 

The Reuters Institute Digital News Report consistently shows the decline in traditional media’s influence and the rise of social media and online influencers, some of whom are not good for democracy. The 2025 report also noted a rise in chatbot usage for news, although their share is still low and public distrust in AI remains high. The use of generative AI also presents major challenges for the future of journalism, especially since AI hosts have already replaced some media workers in Europe. AI tools and social media could support journalism but only if their use is legally and ethically regulated, something for which the region lacks both willingness and expertise.

 

Public trust in media in BiH is also low, and, according to some marketing agency surveys, it is sharply declining. This can be attributed to the overwhelming number of content sources, rampant misinformation making it difficult to choose who to follow, and a general distrust in institutions. The information bombardment – true or false, practiced by Donald Trump and Milorad Dodik, along with their rhetoric about enemies and foreign agents, does not foster trust in journalism or its public image.

 

At the same time, interest among youth in studying journalism is waning as shown by our research on the future of the media. In nearly all Western Balkan countries, the number of journalism students is declining. In Sarajevo and Banja Luka, in 2014, there were twice as many journalism students (1,160) at two departments as there were in 2023 across five departments (538). Being a journalist is not seen as a desirable career by young people, who prefer fields like public relations, and poor working conditions, job insecurity, and frequent attacks on journalists only reinforce this trend. Of course, there are exceptions – students who love and believe in this profession, thanks to whom journalism might still endure.

 

 

It’s hard to imagine a future without professional media – watchdogs that are trained and trustworthy, warning the public of abuse and injustice, guiding them through important topics, educating and informing, and giving voice to the marginalized. The trends we’ve observed suggest journalism’s future may involve a large number of small “media” or individual content creators, some of which will be oases of resistance under pressure, while others will be media deserts and mouthpieces for those in power.

 

However, crises bring opportunities for change and resistance – a chance for citizens and decision-makers to recognize the value of media for society and begin protecting, supporting, and actively engaging with it. Professional journalism requires deep and structural changes to survive, which means political will, but also audience and media engagement. These changes must be based on strong legal frameworks and policies, protection of journalists and markets, preservation of media freedom, support for professional journalism, regulation and promotion of self-regulation, and accountability for big tech companies.

 

In addition, independent sources of funding and systemic, long-term media literacy education are essential, so the public can recognize journalistic standards and understand journalism’s role in society. Changes are also needed within media itself – a return to the default setting of basic professional standards. This doesn’t mean the media shouldn’t adapt to new technologies and trends, which can be a great asset to journalism, but never at the expense of the profession’s core values. The forms of journalism may change, in the future, we may no longer have nightly news but interactive multimedia content, but the essence and fundamental principles must remain the same. We cannot give up on journalism, because doing so would mean victory for those who want to silence it.