The Press and Online Media Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina hosted the Fifth Regional Meeting of Press and Media Councils from Southeast Europe and Türkiye, held on June 22 – 23, 2026 in Sarajevo, within the framework of the UNESCO project “Building Trust in Media in South East Europe: Support to Journalism as a Public Good”, funded by the European Union.
The two-day meeting brought together representatives of media self-regulatory bodies from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Türkiye to exchange experiences on achievements to date, common challenges, and the future of media self-regulation in the region. Representing the project organizer, Mr. Joshua Massarenti, Regional Project Coordinator at the UNESCO Antenna Office in Sarajevo, also attended the meeting.
Discussions focused on the financial sustainability and independence of press and media councils, the adaptation of ethical codes to the digital environment, the use of artificial intelligence in journalism, the growing role of influencers and content creators, as well as complaint-handling mechanisms and responses to breaches of professional standards on online platforms.
A dedicated session examined the new European regulatory framework for digital platforms and media, including the Digital Services Act (DSA), the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). Participants discussed opportunities to strengthen the role of media self-regulatory bodies within this evolving regulatory landscape, while also emphasizing the need for major online platforms to better recognize professional media, their editorial standards, and accountability mechanisms. These issues were addressed by Joan Barata, PhD, an international expert on freedom of expression and media regulation, who presented possible approaches for reinforcing the role of self-regulation within the contemporary European media and digital framework.
Particular attention was given to the presentation by Borislav Vukojević, PhD, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Banja Luka, under a title “Artificial Intelligence, Journalistic Ethics and the Future Role of Self-Regulatory Bodies in the Western Balkans”, which explored the impact of AI technologies on journalism, professional standards, and the challenges that self-regulatory bodies are expected to face in the years ahead.
The meeting also addressed other emerging issues shaping today’s media landscape, including the impact of artificial intelligence on journalistic ethics, the legal status and ethical challenges related to influencers and content creators, as well as developments surrounding the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), presented by Mr. Benjamin Sabbah, Director of the Journalism Trust Initiative.
The Fifth Regional Meeting once again confirmed the importance of regional cooperation among press and media councils at a time when journalism is facing economic pressures, rapid technological change, AI-generated content, and shifting patterns of news consumption. Participants concluded that a strong and interconnected network of self-regulatory bodies remains one of the key prerequisites for safeguarding professional and ethical standards in the digital media environment.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99 and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the declaration of independence of Kosovo.