The regional television network Al Jazeera Balkans (AJB) is set to officially cease operations. The final news broadcast aired on Saturday, July 12, with pre-recorded content scheduled to continue until the end of July, after which the transmission will be permanently terminated.

Established on November 1, 1996, Al Jazeera, a Qatari media organization, launched its Balkans program on November 11, 2011. It gained recognition for its investigative journalism, original documentaries, and a wide regional network of correspondents spanning Belgrade, Zagreb, Skopje, Podgorica, Ljubljana, and Pristina. AJB also hosted the international documentary film festival AJB DOC in Sarajevo, attracting creators from around the globe.

The closure has stirred significant reactions within and beyond the media community. The Association of BH Journalists and the Journalists’ Helpline remarked that the shutdown signifies “a setback for media diversity and public interest,” stating, “For fourteen years, Al Jazeera Balkans tackled critical issues in the Balkans and globally, fostering discussions on peace and stability, while leading in documentary and educational programming.”

Unverified news: severance pay and additional benefits for staff

This decision results in job loss for all employees. There are concerns as many employees reportedly learned about their layoffs from external sources. BH journalists are urging AJB management to ensure transparency and legality in the layoff process, along with providing support to journalists, including legal and psychological help.

Tarik Đođić, the General Director of AJB, did not respond to DW’s request for clarification regarding the reasons for the station’s closure.

According to the Klix.ba portal, AJB management communicated to employees: “It is with great regret that I must inform you that, per the decision of the owner of AJMN Doha, AJB will stop broadcasting media content on July 31, 2025. The cessation arises from altered economic, technical, and organizational circumstances. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to reverse the decision.”

The same source indicates that employees have been promised severance pay exceeding the legal minimum, alongside unspecified additional benefits. As reported by Klix, the atmosphere in the newsroom on Saturday was emotional and dignified, characterized by a sense of community and professional pride among the staff.

Al Jazeera columnist Dragan Bursać: “The light of free journalism is extinguishing”

“What’s next? Who can we turn to for articles, columns, or cries for truth? Al Jazeera Balkans is no more. It’s incomprehensible, but it is a reality. It feels like losing someone close,” writes columnist and journalist Dragan Bursać in reflection on the closure of this regional station. He emphasizes that AJB was much more than just a media outlet—it was, in his words, “a school, a home, and a refuge for truth.”

He underscores the professionalism of the editorial team: “We were certain they wouldn’t resort to referring to ‘incident’ when it was a ‘massacre’ or ‘crime’ when it was ‘genocide.’ We knew we were reporting the truth—and that truth would safeguard us.”

Shutdowns also affecting U.S. news outlets

The closure of AJB aligns with a broader trend where other international media organizations are facing similar pressures. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a directive to shut down the Voice of America (VOA).

Reports indicate that all employees at VOA, along with those at Radio Free Europe, were placed “on administrative leave” starting March 15, followed by the EU’s decision to initially cover funding for Radio Free Europe with 5.5 million euros in May.

Maja Sever, president of the European Federation of Journalists, warns that the AJB closure is a significant loss for public interest and democracy in the region. “This isn’t just a setback for journalists—it’s a blow to democracy. We must ask ourselves who will be next to fall victim to populism, austerity, and ignorance,” Sever stated.

She also referenced the recent termination of 26 employees at N1 television, describing it as a “restructuring” while commending the journalists from both organizations for their brave public service. “Imagine how many scandals, corruption, and theft would remain hidden without journalists’ contributions,” she added.

Lejla Turčilo: “Thousands of journalists left jobless, a society without oversight”

Lejla Turčilo, a professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Sarajevo, cautions that the volatile media climate in BiH poses several challenges: “This significant reduction in pluralism and a variety of perspectives severely limits citizens’ understanding of local and global events.”

Approximately 200 AJB employees will lose their jobs. “It’s difficult to believe that the BiH media landscape can absorb so many professionals. This affects not only journalists but also their families, impacting society as a whole,” Turčilo shared with DW.

She raised alarms about the closure of major media organizations like Voice of America and AJB, which she says diminishes the scrutiny of social players, “creating an environment where transparency, particularly within political institutions, is compromised.”

“While it’s true that the media outlets being shut down or restructured had specific agendas from their inception—including political affiliations—they nevertheless maintained a high level of professionalism and accountability, setting ethical standards. Therefore, this moment is profoundly challenging not just for the media landscape, but for society as a whole,” Turčilo remarked.

Boro Kontić: Significant destabilization of the media landscape in BiH

Boro Kontić, Director of the Media Center, told DW that the closures of AJB and Voice of America signal a critical destabilization of the BiH media environment: “I wish to avoid making predictions about the future of other media, but it is evident that their survival is under serious threat. These were the pillars of professionalism and editorial independence in our region, and I genuinely worry about the implications.”

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