Representatives of REM at a regional workshop on safeguarding journalism as a public good in the digital environment
Representatives of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media participated in the regional workshop Safeguarding Journalism as a Public Good in Today’s Digital Platform Environment, dedicated to the position and sustainability of journalism in the digital environment and the relationship among media, digital platforms, and regulatory institutions in Southeast Europe, held in Sarajevo from 28 to 29 September 2026.
As part of the session Relations Between Platforms and Regulators Regarding the Protection of Freedom of Expression and of the Media, participants discussed the relationship between major digital platforms and regulatory bodies, regulatory and self-regulatory responses concerning the application of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), as well as the positions of candidate countries regarding the implementation of these acts. Discussion participants concluded that inter-institutional cooperation and awareness of the implementation of these acts are needed at the national levels, while regionally, the importance of cooperation among regulators aimed at presenting a unified front before platforms was highlighted.
Saša Simović, Assistant Director for Legal Affairs, also participated in the session of the same name, alongside representatives of the European Commission and the Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In his presentation, he highlighted the need for gradual alignment with key European documents (DSA and EMFA) through amendments to existing legislation, while simultaneously strengthening the culture of online content regulation and accompanying institutional safeguards, particularly in the areas of protection of minors on platforms, ownership structure transparency, public media services, and state advertising.
At the workshop, the discussions also focused on the manner in which journalistic content is distributed on digital platforms, the impact of algorithms, recommendation systems, and artificial intelligence-based tools on the visibility of media content, as well as the challenges faced by small, local, investigative, and independent media. Additional topics included the moderation of content on digital platforms and fair remuneration for the use of journalistic content on digital platforms.
The two-day gathering, organised by UNESCO and Partners Serbia, was held at the United Nations representative office in Sarajevo, with the participation of media representatives, regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, international organisations, and experts from the Western Balkans and the European Union.
