VIENNA, 26 May 2025 — Ambassador Jan Braathu, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, will undertake his inaugural official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 26 to 28 May 2025. During his visit, Ambassador Braathu is scheduled to meet with senior government officials, political leaders, civil society representatives, and media stakeholders to discuss pressing issues concerning media freedom and safety.
Following the visit, the OSCE Representative’s Office, in collaboration with regional field operations, will host the 10th South East Europe Media Conference on 29–30 May at the Swissôtel in Sarajevo. Themed “Actioning Media Viability for Informed, Resilient Societies,” the conference aims to address challenges and opportunities in sustaining independent media in the region.
Conference Highlights:
- Keynote Address: “Why Investing in Media Viability Pays Off”
- Plenary Sessions and Workshops Covering:
- Economics of public interest journalism in the era of Big Tech and AI
- Legal and regulatory trends shaping media freedom and viability, including laws on foreign funding and legal actions such as SLAPPs
- Safety of journalists and the costs of reporting the facts
- Public service media strategies and its role in serving the public interest
- Regional collaboration for viable and resilient media
- Safety awareness and preparedness in crisis situations for young journalists
- Fact-checking as a tool for boosting resilience to disinformation
- Youth consultation on a public interest framework for the future of journalism
Journalists and media professionals are invited to attend the conference. For those unable to participate in person, the event will be livestreamed at https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/590808.
For interview requests during Ambassador Braathu’s visit, please contact:
Adis Mustedanagic
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +43 664 8847 4962
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States, providing early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom, and promoting full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments.(OSCE)
For more information, visit www.osce.org/fom.(OSCE)
OSCE SYMBOL Picture by-Manfred Werne
