The Bosnian public broadcaster BHRT has approved strict austerity measures due its deteriorating financial situation.
Avaz reports that it has lost over KM1 million (€511,210) in the first half, with licence fee revenues down 10% on the previous year.
It adds that while BHRT intends to maintain its autumn schedule, including football qualification games for Euro 2016, it will not extend the fixed-term contracts of 30 employees and end cooperation with 50 outside experts.
In May, the EBU issued an open statement demanding that the government authorities ensured the proper funding and governance of public service media (PSM) in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Its director said that PSM was almost collapsing because the government has failed for many years to implement the media law and the appropriate funding model.
In accordance with laws adopted from 2005 to 2008, there are three public service broadcasters in Bosnia & Herzegovina. BHRT is a national service, while Radio and Television of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Radio-Televizija Federacije BiH –RTFBiH) and adio Television of Republika Srpska (Radio-Televizija Republike Srpske- RTRS) serve the federation entity and Republika Srpska respectively.
