A modern democratic society, which Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) strives for, includes modern, responsible media, as well as a responsible civil society that is able to respond to the needs of citizens. Citizens’ trust in the media and civil society, which would be reflected in continuous communication and support of civil society organizations as well as trust in the media, is the best indicator of real progress in society. Unfortunately, BiH is, in many ways, far from the imagined ideal of democracy.
The global economic crisis of 2008 significantly affected the work of the media, reducing advertising revenues, and significantly affecting the media market. Internet, which has been growing rapidly in recent years, has further disrupted relations in the traditional media market, making communication with audiences much easier. On the other hand, the strengthening of “new media”, especially in the online sphere, has led to a huge collapse in journalism standards, which, in turn, has resulted in a decline in the confidence of citizens (audiences) in media reporting. Today, we live the absurdity of the huge availability of information, which results in an ever-greater general ignorance of citizens, or the inability of the public to absorb (use) the information obtained in a quality manner.
It is high time to dedicate ourselves to adequate education of citizens in media literacy – how to receive quality information (which are verified information channels, how to identify a credible source of information, how to verify the credibility of sources), to adequately consider each citizen at the individual level and society as a whole, benefits and implications of information they came across. In this regard, the media must cooperate with civil society organizations, especially local organizations working in the field. No one can convey the needs of the local population, identify local topics and issues that need to be explored, as local civil society organizations can. It is necessary to establish contacts between journalists and local activists, open channels of communication, establish cooperation and clearly state the needs of both parties. Frustration that has existed for years, in which civil society representatives blame journalists for not following their work and not delving into important topics they promote, while on the other hand journalists blame civil society representatives for not being able to “explain” what the problem really is representing, can be resolved only by open conversation. It is high time to overcome the differences, real or imagined, because we have a mutual interest in cooperation, which can result in better results in work for both parties. Journalists, for their part, must show an interest in local issues and move away from a political narrative that further undermines already shaken confidence in their work. And this is where civil society representatives can help them, imposing topics that are important to local communities, while using the knowledge and experience gained. Our goal is common – building a democratic society in BiH that will enable a better life for every citizen in this country – and it is up to us to find a way to reach that goal as soon as possible.
Leila Bičakčić
