By Andrea Juhas, RTV

Five Days – Four Seasons in Sarajevo

As part of the IMM mobility program, I spent the first phase of the program in Sarajevo between March 24 and 29, 2026. The primary goal of the trip was to visit BHRT, based in Sarajevo, gain insight into the work of its editorial departments, and learn about the challenges and difficulties related to program production.

I got in touch with the person responsible for international relations, Rialda Ocuz, whom I had met in June 2025 during a training in Montenegro. She welcomed me with great enthusiasm and guided me through the different departments of the television. I had the opportunity to learn about the religious programming editorial team, the daily news and news broadcast departments, and activities related to international programming. Beyond this, I gained a much deeper understanding of the place itself—Sarajevo, the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the impact of historical events on present-day life.

For me, the most important takeaway was that public service media outlets with limited budgets should focus on building cooperation among themselves. By joining forces, they can share their own documentary productions and other media content. Additionally, by participating as members in various international organizations, they can gain access to low-cost yet high-quality media content. In the future, cooperation among public service media in the region will become increasingly important, as it is key to their sustainability and to increasing viewership. At the same time, expanding the target audience remains a crucial task, which can be achieved, among other things, by broadcasting high-quality content.

Together with the staff of BHRT, we agreed to propose to the management of RTV the possibility and importance of joining international organizations, as well as to initiate the drafting of a cooperation agreement with BHRT. In addition to my visit to BHRT, I also had the opportunity to meet with the staff of the Goethe-Institute in Sarajevo, who have generously and significantly contributed to the smooth implementation of the program. During my stay, I visited numerous historical landmarks, learned about the city’s past and present, and also experienced how unpredictable the weather in Sarajevo can be. I arrived in almost early-summer conditions and left in true winter weather—all within just five days.

Funded by the European Union, the Innovation. Media. Minds Program: Support to Public Service Journalism in the Western Balkans, is managed by the Goethe-Institut on behalf of the European Commission and in collaboration with its implementing partner DW Akademie. The contents of this story are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.