Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Early years: RTV Sarajevo (1945–1992)

The history of electronic media in Bosnia and Herzegovina began on April 10th 1945, with the first broadcast of Radio Sarajevo beginning with the words "This is Radio Sarajevo. Death to fascism - freedom to the people".[3] Television Sarajevo (TVSA) aired its first program on June 1st 1961, initially relying on studios in Zagreb and Belgrade. It became a constituent member of the Yugoslav Radio and Television (JRT) network.[1]

Key developments included the launch of its own TV news magazine, "Nightly Screen" (bos. Večernji ekran), on March 17th 1969, and its flagship "TV Journal" (bos. TV Dnevnik) on February 25th 1971.[3] The local radio station, Sarajevo 202, began broadcasting on July 1st 1971, quickly becoming a symbol of the city's urban culture and a platform for young journalists.[4] Radio Sarajevo 3 was launched in 1973 and was dedicated to scientific and theoretical considerations, classical music and art.

In early 1975, the first phase of the construction of the Broadcasting House (bos. RTV Dom) in Sarajevo was completed, which gave RTV Sarajevo adequate production and editorial space along with new electronic equipment. At the same time, Radio Sarajevo 2 was launched as a correspondent network, which would account for more than 50 local radio stations, with a coverage of about 80% of the population of SR Bosnia and Herzegovina. TVSA 2 was also launched, and numerous awards and recognitions came to this media house in the 1970s and 1980s.

The largest project of TVSA was the monitoring and transmission of the 14th Winter Olympic Games held from February 8th to 19th 1984 in Sarajevo. To accomplish this task, TVSA received new production facilities in the Broadcasting House and the most modern technical equipment. TVSA received recognition for this demanding project from many large radio and television companies and associations.[5] With TVSA 1 in 1985, it covered 79%, and with TVSA 2, 57% of the territory of the SR of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Following the 1984 Olympics, TVSA entered a period of significant innovation and cultural influence. Under cultural and art programming director Slobodan Terzić, the broadcaster revamped its schedule and began producing elaborate in-house productions and acquiring Western programs. It became a crucial platform for the burgeoning Sarajevo music scene, producing the first music videos for bands that would achieve regional fame, such as Crvena Jabuka, Plavi Orkestar, and Dino Merlin.[6]

A particularly significant innovation was the Youth Program on Radio Sarajevo 2, launched in 1987 under editor-in-chief Boro Kontrić. The program served as a launchpad for a generation of artists and journalists, featuring surreal and satirical content from the collective "Top List of the Surrealists" (bos. Top lista nadrealista) and pioneering broadcasts of alternative Western music like acid house and hip-hop. This creative environment extended to the short-lived commercial channel TVSA 3 in 1989, which further pushed boundaries with youth-oriented programming.[6]

The Bosnian War (1992–1995)

Following the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the outbreak of the Bosnian War in 1992, RTV Sarajevo was forced to suspend its secondary channels, TVSA 2 and TVSA 3, along with the radio stations Radio Sarajevo 202, Radio Sarajevo 2 and Radio Sarajevo 3. Its operations were consolidated into a single, vital service that, under the name Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RTVBiH), became a lifeline for the besieged population of Sarajevo and a symbol of resistance. The Broadcasting House, commonly nicknamed The Grey House (bos. Sivi dom), was a constant target of shelling. The most severe attack occurred on June 28th 1995, when a direct hit caused extensive damage. Footage of the aftermath was later broadcast. Staff and journalists lived and worked in the building under constant threat, some even sacrificing their lives for journalism. Despite this, broadcasts never went off-air throughout the war. Journalist Duška Jurišić recalled, "The goal was to report. If you don't have a 30-minute show at 7:30, you haven't fulfilled your goal."[7][5] On January 1st 1993, RTVBiH was admitted as an active member of the EBU.

Post–War Restructuring (2000–2004)

After the war, the international community, through the Office of the High Representative (OHR), mandated a complete overhaul of the broadcasting system. On October 23rd 2000, High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch imposed The Public Broadcasting System Restructuring Act.[8] This decision legally dissolved the old RTVBiH and established three new entities:

The decision also created a central body, the System Board, to coordinate the system and manage the distribution of the RTV tax.[8] BH Radio 1 officially started on May 7th 2001, on the same day as the Federal Radio, and the first news program of BHT1 aired exactly a year later, marking the symbolic start of the new public service.[1][9]

From May 2002 to August 2004, PBSBiH's TV channel, BHTV1, had no frequencies of its own, as it handed them over to FTV as part of the Restructuring Act.

Chronic financial crisis and funding collapse

BHRT's modern history is a chronicle of survival amid existential threats stemming from a deliberately sabotaged and dysfunctional funding model. The public broadcasting system is funded by a monthly license fee (RTV tax of 7.5 KM as of 2025), collected via electricity bills and distributed as 50% to BHRT, 25% to RTVFBiH, and 25% to RTRS.[8][15] This model has completely broken down, creating a permanent state of insolvency for the state-level broadcaster.

The primary cause of the crisis is the systemic withholding of funds. RTRS, which collects the tax on its territory, has for years refused to transfer BHRT's 50% share. By 2025, this debt had ballooned to over 100 million KM, despite rulings from the Constitutional Court of BiH and the Supreme Court of RS confirming the practice is illegal.[16][17]