Future of Media in the Western Balkans and Turkey

Reform of media policies and implementation mechanisms: media experts, professionals, and citizens need to mobilize to demand policies that enable quality journalism. Given the adoption of regressive laws in parts of the region in recent years, mobilization against such initiatives is necessary to halt negative trends. Media policies should aim to restore the democratic functions of the media. Joint efforts are required to imagine, advocate for, and mobilize around policies that sustain independent journalism, ranging from those ensuring government funding for independent journalism, to measures protecting local media from unfair competition from tech giants, and to legal and other institutional support for journalists facing pressure. PSBs should be granted managerial and financial independence to restore their public service remit. Media policies, including financial support mechanisms, should particularly enable the existence of quality investigative, community, local, and regional media outlets.

Ensuring sustainability of quality journalism: Public funds should be directed towards supporting quality journalism through independent funding mechanisms both for PSB and independent media outlets. The international donor community should help safeguard the last bastions of journalistic integrity from imminent financial collapse. Advertisers, ad creators, and advertising agencies should strengthen the legitimacy of advertising practices, by increasing transparency and adhering to ethical standards, avoiding harmful practices such as conditional placement, or advertising on unethical platforms. Governments, the media community, and civil society actors should work to ensure more equitable competition between local media and global technology companies. Media outlets should also diversify their revenue streams, including through community funding and commercial services, to effect greater sustainability.

Promoting media transparency: Disclosure of ownership structures, funding sources, and the use of generative artificial intelligence in content production can help media demonstrate credibility and rebuild public trust. Transparency can be strengthened through media legislation, but also through voluntary internal policies adopted by media outlets seeking to foster trust-based relationships with citizens.

Promoting citizen engagement and community building: Recognizing citizens as essential allies for future sustainability, media outlets should respond more effectively to public communication needs, foster meaningful engagement with their content, and build strong communities around their work. Direct communication with citizens should involve dedicated formats and platforms for engagement, enabling media to rebuild trust and proximity with their respective communities.

Inclusion, representation, and thematic diversity: Media should promote inclusivity and ensure balanced representation of different political perspectives and social groups in their content. Particular attention should be given to the representation of marginalized communities. These principles should be supported both through regulation and through funding for media content promoting diversity. As the research findings suggest, media outlets should also aim to provide content covering various thematic areas, including education, science, and culture.

Responding to technological changes and to shifts in citizen behaviour and preferences: Media outlets should adapt content to digital environment and shorter attention spans, including through short-form video formats, while maintaining relevance and quality. Similarly, media outlets can respond to the trend of personalization of trust, aiming to assure trust by promoting relatable and credible media personalities within their newsrooms. The use of generative artificial intelligence should be optimized to support routine content production tasks, while engaging human capacities are prioritized in producing high-quality, original content, responsive to citizens’ needs.

Improving socio-economic conditions including bettering working conditions, and institutional and legal protection of journalists. Collective organizing was identified as an important mechanism for improving the position of journalists.

Strengthening of self-regulation mechanisms: The media community should reinforce professional ethical standards, establish joint self-regulatory bodies, ensure sufficient capacities and independence, promote acceptance of their decisions, and adapt ethical norms and mechanisms to the digital environment.

Promoting media literacy and updating study programmes: The public sector and civil society should actively promote media literacy, which is pivotal for enabling citizens’ understanding of and engagement in public communication and sociopolitical processes. Journalism education should include familiarization with market trends and responsible use of artificial intelligence. Continuous professional development programmes should equip media professionals to respond to changing citizens’ needs and the evolving digital environment.

Democratic revival: Ultimately, meaningful media reform depends on broader socio-political transformation. The media sector and civil society, including CSOs, academia, and activists, should build coalitions and develop shared visions for democratic renewal. A key challenge will be overcoming citizens’ scepticism and reimagining reforms and the role of citizens as agents of positive change.