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July 17, 2025 – Bosnia & Herzegovina –
Al Jazeera Balkans (AJB), a highly respected regional broadcaster headquartered in Sarajevo, officially ceased operations on 12 July 2025, bringing nearly 14 years of independent journalism to an abrupt end. The channel aired its final live news broadcast at midday, followed by pre‑recorded programming until the signal was switched off at the month’s end.
The sudden closure is expected to displace 200–209 media workers, many of whom reportedly learned about the shutdown through media outlets rather than from internal communication by management, raising significant concerns over labor rights and corporate transparency. Although Al Jazeera cited business reasons, external analyses suggest internal financial and organizational issues may have played a role.
Media freedom organizations—such as the SafeJournalists Network, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)—strongly condemned the closure. They described it as a grave loss for media pluralism, democratic discourse, and the public’s right to truthful, high-quality journalism in a region already struggling with shrinking media independence.
Local journalist associations across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and other neighboring countries similarly expressed alarm, warning that the shutdown further destabilizes an already fragile media landscape where independent outlets are scarce.
AJB was distinguished for its investigative reporting, documentary storytelling, and cross-border coverage through bureaus in Belgrade, Zagreb, Skopje, Podgorica, Ljubljana, and Pristina. Its closure is seen as the loss of a critical regional voice that upheld editorial integrity amid rising political pressure on independent media.
The unions urged that severance and restructuring follow legal standards, with fair terms and dignity for workers, while appealing to regional governments, EU institutions, and international partners to take decisive action to support press pluralism and independent journalism.
Reference –
https://www.gazetaexpress.com/en/Al-Jazeera%27s-closure-shakes-the-region%27s-media-scene/
BiH: Al Jazeera Balkans closure a major blow to media freedom and pluralism
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