Bosnia-Herzegovina

[BA] New rules to extend broadcasters’ editorial responsibility to their online content

IRIS 2021-5:1/8

Maida Ćulahović

Communications Regulatory Agency

The Council of the Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CRA) has approved draft amendments to the CRA Rules governing the provision of audiovisual and radio media services, with a view to extend the licensees’ editorial responsibility to their online content. More specifically, it is proposed that all content published on broadcasters’ official websites or websites marked with their logo is subject to the same basic tier of rules as the broadcast content, in terms of incitement to violence, hatred and discrimination, prejudice to public health and safety, protection of minors and their privacy, as well as the right of reply.      

The proposed amendments are currently open for public consultation until 14 May 2021. If adopted, the scope of regulation will effectively be expanded to include the prevention of harmful content in media service providers’ online activities.  

The legal framework on electronic media is currently being amended, among other things in order to transpose the revised AVMSD provisions. Online content is not in CRA’s current remit; however it had become broadcasters’ widespread practice to publish content on their websites which is either directly linked to the broadcast programme - most notably news items - or treats the broadcast content in more detail, not necessarily ensuring the same level of respect for professional standards. Rather than a separate service, the current proposal therefore considers the broadcaster’s online content to be directly linked to that provided under the licence issued for the provision of media services.