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The Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) has expanded its mandate on SMS broadcast via TV stations. In 2007, having experienced cases of hate inciting SMS in the form of chain laters, or so-called cyrons, RAK supplemented its Code of Conduct with regards to public and commercial broadcasters. Article 3 of the General Principles also regulates SMS, however RAK have not, thus far, imposed any sanctions.. TV OBN, a Sarajevo-based and country-wide commercial TV station, was the first to be fined to the amount of BAM 30,000 (about EUR 15,000), for violation of Article 4 "Hate Speech" of the Broadcasting...

A comprehensive framework for the broadcasting sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina was introduced in October 2002 with the Law on Communications of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of BiH, No. 31/03) which established principles based on a convergent approach, including telecommunications, radio, broadcasting (including cable television) and associated services and facilities (see IRIS 2002-10: 13). This Law gives the Communications Regulator Agency (RAK) wide responsibilities in the sectors of the converged market, broadcasting, telecommunications and the frequency spectrum management. In...

Despite the entry into force of the Law on Public Broadcasting Service of the Federation of BiH on 14 August 2008 (Official Gazette of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, No. 48, 2008), and despite it looking like the regulatory framework of Public Service Broadcasting in the country is complete subsequent to the adoption of this piece of legislation, the controversies about this media sector continue. To recap, the Bosnian broadcasting sector comprises four laws: the Law on Public Broadcasting System of BiH, the Law on Public Broadcasting Service of BiH, the Law on Public Broadcasting Service...

At its regular session, held on 27 May 2008, the Council of the Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) adopted the Rule on Local Loop Unbundling (LLU). The LLU regulates the procedures to allow multiple telecommunication operators the use of connections from the telephone exchange’s hub to the customers’ premises. The LLU also enables communication providers to offer the full range of voice and broadband services, as well as to foster high speed Internet access, direct to the customers. This rule is expected to increase the competition on the local network access market. To achieve this it enables...

The Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK), a single regulator responsible for both the broadcasting and the telecommunications sector in the country, has carried out research on the market of Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2007. Despite television remaining the main source of information for the majority of the country’s population and analogue terrestrial broadcasts still being a primary source of television programming, the digital age is also entering this country. By 31 December 2007, in Bosnia and Herzegovina there were 60 operating Internet service providers,...