The average incomes in the media sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina are below the country's average, showed the results of a research on economic and social status and labour rights of workers in this sector in the region that were presented on Monday.

The research was carried out within the ‘Being a journalist – Conference on economic and social status, labour rights of journalists and media workers in Serbia and the region’ project, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Informing of Serbia.

Its results were presented in an online conference under auspices of the Association of Journalists of Serbia.

According to the data presented, the salary amount in Bosnia and Herzegovina often depends on the ownership structure, so the journalists working with public broadcasters are generally better paid and work under better conditions compared to those in private companies.

A research conducted by the Association of Journalists of Serbia showed an average salary in the media sector in Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina ranges between 300 and 400 euros – much lower than the countries’ average, in Croatia is between 500 and 700 euros in local media and 750 to 1,500 in the press, while those at public broadcasting service range between 900 and 1,000 euros. An average salary in Slovenia's media sector amounts to some 1,300 euros, which is above the country's average salary.

Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia have no statistics on the number of media workers, it was pointed out.

The lack of respect for the journalistic profession, freedom of thought, objectivity and reporting accuracy was highlighted as the crucial problem in Bosnia and Herzegovina and its media sector.

It was also noted that the material status of most of the reporters in Bosnia and Herzegovina is rather bad, considering their incomes and fixed-term employment.

The research was carried out within the ‘Being a journalist – Conference on economic and social status, labour rights of journalists and media workers in Serbia and the region’ project, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Informing of Serbia.