Information on the Press Council in Bosnia-Herzegovina

INFORMATION ON THE PRESS COUNCIL IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA


Executive Director:

Ms LJILJANA ZUROVAC, zurovaclj@vzs.ba  

ASSEMBLY:

Chairman of the Assembly:

Mr ERBEIN RESIDBEGOVIC, Director of the Publishing House PRESS SING, magazine “Slobodna Bosna”

Deputy Assembly Chairmen:

Mr ISMET BRKOVIC, General Manager of daily “Dnevni list” 

Members of the Assembly:

Mr JOZO PAVKOVIC, Editor in Chief of daily “Vecernji list BH” 
Mr DEJAN JAZVIC, Editor of "Vecernji list BH", Sarajevo office
Mr FARUK BORIC, Deputy Editor in Chief of daily “Oslobođenje”
Mr DARIO NOVALIC, Director of the Publishing House DENAMEDIA, magazine “Start”
Ms MILKICA MILOJEVIC, Journalist of ATV, Chairwoman of the Steering Board of the Association “BH Journalists” 
Mr MLADEN BOSNJAK, Member of the Board of Directors of B&H Society of Journalists
Mr SEAD HADZIJAHIC, Sports Journalist, member of the B&H Society of Journalists 
Mr BERIN EKMECIC, Editor in Chief of magazine “Maxi revija”
Mr ALIJA LIZDE, Editor in Chief of magazine “Hercegovacke novine”
Mr MENSUR OSMOVIC, Editor in Chief of daily “SAN”
Mr DALIBOR DJEKIC, Editor in Chief of daily “Fokus” 
Mr ZELJKO KOPANJA, Director of publishing house NIGD “DNN”


BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Chairman:

Mr FARUK BORIC, Deputy Editor in Chief of daily “Oslobodjenje”

Members of the Board of Directors:

Mr ISMET BRKOVIC, General Manager of daily “Dnevni list”, Mostar/Sarajevo
Mr ERBEIN RESIDBEGOVIC, Director of the Publishing House PRESS SING, magazine “Slobodna Bosna” 
Mr DARIO NOVALIC, Director of the Publishing House DENAMEDIA, magazine “Start”
Mr JOZO PAVKOVIC, Editor in Chief of daily “Vecernji list BH” 
Mr DEJAN JAZVIC, Editor of "Vecernji list BH" Sarajevo office
Mr SEAD HADZIJAHIC, Journalist, representative of journalists, Sarajevo 
Mr BERIN EKMECIC, Editor in Chief of magazine "Maxi revije", Sarajevo
Mr ALIJA LIZDE, Editor in Chief of magazine "Hercegovacke novine", Mostar
Mr DALIBOR DJEKIC, Editor in Chief of daily "Fokus", Banja Luka

COMPLAINTS COMMISSION:

Ph.D. MIODRAG ZIVANOVIC, Professor, Faculty of Philosophy in Banja Luka, Banja Luka
Mr FUAD KOVACEVIC, Journalist of daily "Oslobodjenje", Sarajevo 
Ph.D. ENES OSMANCEVIC, Docent, Faculty of Philosophy in Tuzla, Tuzla 
Mr DRAZEN ZUBAK, Lawyer, Sarajevo 
MA GORAN JANKOVIC, Visual Artist and Docent Professor at the Faculty for Communications, Banja Luka 
Ph.D. NADA LER-SOFRONIC, Psychologist, Director of the Centre „Woman and Society“ , Sarajevo
Mrs NADA DALIPAGIC, Lawyer, Mostar 
Mrs NADA ARSENIC, Judge, Gracanica


Press Council in Bosnia-Herzegovina is a self-regulatory body for print media in B&H, acting as one of the rare institutions in B&H working at the state level for both entities – Federation of B&H and Republika Srpska.

The Press Council strengthens the civil society, giving them a tool for protection of their Human Rights when complaining on the inaccurate print media reporting. According to principles of the self-regulation, it cannot fine, suspend or close down media outlets. Possible disputes between the public and the press, the Press Council resolves using only journalistic remedies, such as: right to reply, publishing of retraction, apology or denial. For all other severe media freedom breaching cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina are relevant Laws on defamation, implemented in both entities of the state. The advantage of the Press Council is that it is free, quick and efficient in complaints.

The Press Council in Bosnia-Herzegovina consists of print media publishers, journalists and citizens from B&H. It is a non-profit organization, independent from political or any other influences. The organization in multi-ethnic and the gender equality is respected. The Press Council in Bosnia-Herzegovina is a member of the AIPCE – Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe.

Establishing Assembly of the state level Press Council was held on 13th of December 2006. Establishers of this Press Council are Newspaper Publishers in B&H and Journalists' Associations in B&H.

History:

From 2000 till 13th December 2006, the Press Council was registered at the level of Federation B&H Entity, with possibility to operate at territory of the entire country. First establishers were Journalists' Associations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the Newspaper Publishers were not part of this body at that time. Bosnia and Herzegovina is the first country in Southeast Europe that has successfully established Press Council by accepting basic principles of self-regulation in journalism. This professionally extremely important step has followed after existing journalists' associations in B&H adopted unique Press Code, in April 1999.

First Director of the B&H Press Council was Mr Bojan ZEC FILIPOVIC who was succeeded by Mr Nermin DURMO in April 2003. First Chairman of the Press Council of B&H was Lord John WAKEHAM, who was at the time Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission of Great Britain. Lord Wakeham's successor was Professor Robert PINKER, who was also Commissioner at the Press Complaint Commission of Great Britain. Professor Pinker acted as the International Chairman of BiH Press Council for almost three years. It is important to note that as of April 2005 the Press Council of B&H is chaired by the first National Chairman, Professor Drago BRANKOVIC, Dean at the Philosophy Faculty of Banja Luka.

Establishment of self-regulation in print media and the Operational Secretariat was enabled by many International organizations: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina – Department of Media Affairs, Mission of EU to B&H , RAK (former IMC), Irex Pro Media, Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), European Commission, Embassy of Great Britain in B&H, Press Now, Embassy of USA in B&H, Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in B&H, Open Society Institute OSI, Ifa/Media-Im-Pakt, USAID and the Press Complaints Commission of Great Britain.

At the beginning of 2005, the international donors have set new conditions for further co-operation with the Press Council in FB&H, the Council has to reorganize and should be registered at the state level of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and furthermore it should find new local sources of financial support. The management of the Press Council at this time stepped down and the Council was facing a closure. Owing to journalists’ will to save and maintain the self-regulatory body for print media, since it is the only guarantee for establishment of good conditions for journalistic work, the Council overstepped these difficulties.

As of September 2005, new Executive Director was engaged, Ms Ljiljana Zurovac, with task to untie all newspaper publishers of the country and to establish one Press Council for both entities (Federation of B&H and Republika Srpska). Thus, by the end of year 2006, was achieved goal of establishment of multi-ethnical body for print media, unique for whole country. The Council was established by ten biggest Newspaper Publishers and the Journalists’ Associations from B&H on 13th December 2006. The official registration at the Ministry of Justice of B&H was finished on 17th August 2007.

With forming of the new Press Council at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 13th December 2006, new Chairman of the Press Council was nominated - Mr Sejad LUCKIN, Editor in Chief of daily “Dnevni avaz”. Mr Sejad Luckin was also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Press Council in Bosnia-Herzegovina. His mandate expired in December 2008.
At the III Annual Assembly of the Press Council in B&H, held on 18th of December 2008, was elected new Preseident of the Board of Directors, Mr Faruk BORIC, Deputy Editor in Chief of daily “Oslobodjenje”.
Chairman of the Press Council's Assembly is Mr Erbein RESIDBEGOVIC, Director of magazine “Slobodna Bosna”.

Contact:
Press Council in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Trampina 8, 71000 Sarajevo, B&H
Tel: + 387 33 272 270
Tel/Fax: + 387 33 272 271
E-mail: info@vzs.ba  
Web: www.vzs.ba