Television in Bosnia and Herzegovina


Television in Bosnia and Herzegovina was first introduced in 1956.
Out of 94 TV stations, 71 are commercial, 20 are public, while 3 public services are funded through subscription.
Data by CRA BiH Sum
Television licence3
Public broadcasting 20
Commercial broadcasting71

History

First broadcasting in Bosnia and Herzegovina started in 1961 when Radio-Televizija Sarajevo began its programme although without its own TV studio at that time.
Televizija Sarajevo started broadcasting its own TV program on 17 March 1969. with first live TV-news program called "Večernji ekran“. At the beginning of 1975., the first phase of the construction of "RTV Dom" – TV headquarters building in Sarajevo was completed. Two years later, in 1977, the second television program was launched.
With the help of other members of the Yugoslav Radio Television system, Radio-Television Sarajevo successfully implemented all special broadcasting programs dedicated to the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. The third television channel has started with broadcasting in 1989 from headquarters also known as the RTV Dom located in Sarajevo.
During the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, JRT system dissolved when most republics became independent countries. The once-recognizable joint program created by the exchange of TV content in JRT network soon was suspended and interrupted, and separate national TV stations began to use propaganda in tv news and other programs. As a result, the once subnational broadcasting centers became public broadcasters of the newly independent states. In such conditions, the first commercial television stations in the Balkans appear.
At the beginning of the War in Bosnia, in 1992, RTV Sarajevo changed its name to Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Headquarters of the RTV BiH were often exposed to war damages. During the siege of Sarajevo, RTV BiH was forced to broadcast only one radio and one television program via damaged transmitters at Hum TV Tower, with minimal technical conditions.
On 2 May 1992, Hum Tower was partly destroyed by the JNA and VRS. Militants illegally took over all property from the former TVSA. Seven out of ten TV repeaters from former TVSA in the territory of BiH were controlled by the JNA and VRS.
From stolen equipment, a parallel new TV channel was established in May 1992 to broadcast propaganda or news builtens from Serbian RTV Beograd via its seat in Pale, near Sarajevo. The second TV transmitter above the Sarajevo, Bosnian capital, was directly controlled by SRT. With the outbreak of the Conflict between Croatia and Bosnian and Herzegovina, TV transmitters under the control of HVO started to rebroadcast news programs of HRT via its Erotel affiliate based in Mostar.
During the war, many independent local or regional stations were launched across the country. Former network affiliates of the second radio channel offten were used as facilities for these new TV stations.
On 1 January 1993, RTV BiH was admitted as an active member of the European Broadcasting Union.
In the Alipašino Polje neighborhood of Sarajevo, on 28 June 1995, a modified air-bomb was thrown by JNA/VRS into the building of RTV BiH. One person was killed, and at least 30 injured.
Hum Tower also suffered major damage, which is partially repaired after the war by technicians from national public broadcaster, BHRT.
After the war, many local media continued to work. With the help of various international donors, equipment has been renewed through media support projects.
On 2 March 2001, Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina was founded with mission to regulate the electronic communications and audiovisual sector in BiH. An important task was the management and supervision of the frequency spectrum.
After 17 July 2002, in Bosnia and Herzegovina there was no radio and TV stations that broadcast without official broadcasting license issued by the CRA.
All local media in BiH, which could not meet the official criteria of the competition for broadcasting licenses were closed in the period between 2000–2002. According to the recommendations, CRA BiH has established a public register of permits issued for all broadcasters with relevant data about all media outlets who have received permission to work.
YearRadioTelevision
200812639
200912542
201012340
201113342
201213445
201313542
201413148
201513351
201613051
2017//
201814993*

Analogue television

Free-to-air terrestrial broadcasters

National and near-national coverage

Television licence">Television licence#Bosnia and Herzegovina">Television licence funding
Bosnia and Herzegovina has 3 public broadcasters financed from radio and television fees. The amount of television fees in BiH is 7.5 BAM per month.
The national public broadcaster for Bosnia and Herzegovina is BHRT. With one television and one radio channel it covers more than 97% of the country. BHRT is the only Bosnian member of the European Broadcasting Union.
The entity broadcaster for Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is RTVFBiH. The program is broadcast on one radio and one television channel.
The entity broadcaster for Republika Srpska is RTRS. The program is broadcast via one radio and two television channels.
There are plans to establish a public TV corporation that would operate, consolidate and improve quality of all Bosnian tax-funded public broadcasters.
TV channelTypeLaunchedFormerly calledOwned byLanguageHDTV
BHT 1GeneralRTV Sarajevo
RTV BiH
BHT
PBS BiH
BHT 1 		BHRTBosnian,
Croatian
and Serbian
Federalna TVGeneralRTVFBiHBosnian,
Croatian
and Serbian
RTRS.tvGeneralКанал С
ТВ РС		RTRSSerbian,
Croatian
and Bosnian
Commercial">Commercial broadcasting">Commercial funding
Near-national commercial broadcasters are primarily focused on the entitiy markets, but some of them also broadcast a joint program. They provide a common advertising space that is more attractive to major advertisers.
TV channelTypeLaunchedFormerly calledOwned byLanguageHDTV
OBNGeneralOpen Broadcast NetworkIvan Ćaleta Croatian
Bosnian and Serbian
Nova BHGeneralPink BH The United GroupBosnian,
Serbian,
Croatian
HayatGeneralNeovisna televizija Hayat
Hayat HD		Hayat TVBosnian
BN TelevizijaGeneralRTV BNSerbian
ATVGeneralAlternativna TVSerbian
O KanalGeneralTV1-RTMOslobođenjeBosnian

Regional coverage

Public funding
Other public TV stations broadcast only locally at the municipal, local, and regional levels, such as 5 cantonal TV stations.
TV channelTypeLaunchedFormerly calledOwned byLanguageHDTV
TVSARegionalTelevizija Kantona SarajevoSarajevo CantonBosnian,
Croatian
and Serbian
RTV TKRegionalTelevizija Tuzlanskog kantonaTuzla CantonBosnian
RTV USKRegionalTelevizija Unsko-sanskog kantonaUna-Sana CantonBosnian
RTV ZERegionalTelevizija ZenicaZenica-Doboj CantonBosnian
RTV BPKRegionalTelevizija BPK GoraždeBosnian-Podrinje CantonBosnian
TV Herceg-BosneGeneralRadiotelevizija Herceg-BosneBosnia and HerzegovinaCroatian
Commercial funding
Commercial terrestrial stations are mostly located in larger towns and settlements.
TV channelTypeLaunchedFormerly calledOwned byLanguageHDTV
Al Jazeera BalkansGeneralNTV 99 SarajevoAl Jazeera Media NetworkBosnian
Serbian
Croatian
Montenegrin
Slovene
Macedonian
OSM TVRegionalOtvorene Srpske MrežeSerbian
Televizija K3RegionalTelevizija K3Serbian
Televizija HitRegionalRTV Hit BrčkoSerbian
Herceg TVRegionalRTV HercegSerbian
TV Slon ExtraRegionalBosnian

Local, city or municipal coverage

Local TV networks share local news.
Public funding
Commercial funding

Cable and IPTV television

There are more than 40 licensed cable TV operators in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The latest estimates show that cable television services in BiH uses about 330,000 households.
Company nameHeadquartersService namesCompany website
BH TelecomSarajevoMoja TV, Moja Web TV
HT MostarMostarHOME.TV
Telekom SrpskeBanja LukaOpen IPTV
TelemachSarajevoTotalTV, EON.TV
M&H CompanySarajevoEON.TV
LogosoftSarajevoSUPER TV
DetelSarajevo
Blic.netBanja LukaBlic.net, TViN
TRION TELBanja Luka
GO TVBanja Luka
TX TVTuzlaTX TV
Elta - KabelDobojElta-Kabel
TelineaBihaćTELINEA
Miss.NetBihaćMISS.NET
AlvatelZenicaAlvatel
ZipZapZenica
TEONETTuzla
AntelTuzla
Elta - MtTuzlaELTA-MT
JU Dom kulture ŽepčeŽepčewww.domkulture-zepce.com
KG - 1Goražde
KTV E-G-EDoboj JugKTV E-G-E
StokićDobojKablovska Stokićwww.stokic.net
DSL- ELEKTRONIKAModriča
Neon SolucijeKalesijaNeon Solucije
AMB-NETŽiviniceAMB-NET
Media SkyŽiviniceMedia Sky
AVAX netLukavacAVAX net
WIRAC.NETGračanicaWIRAC.NET
MAX TV BrčkoBrčkoMAX.TV Brčko
TELESKYGradačacTELESKY Gradačac
Telrad NetBijeljinaTelrad.NET
ElnetLaktašiElnet
KDS OrtakŠipovoKDS Ortak
Terc Trade CompanyPrnjavorTercTV
Tel-NetKljučTel-Net Ključ
KT SaraDrvarKT S@ra
STAR-TELStolacwww.star-tel.ba

Depending on cable provider and subscription type, cable TV offer usually includes most of the local terrestrial channels. Offers are usually customized for specific city. Basic cable offer is limited to 40-65 TV channels in the starting packages. Digital and IPTV packages are limited to 120-180 channels.
Media database by CRA BiH Sum
Registered companies with licenses 40
Registered on-demand audiovisual media service providers11

Registered on-demand audiovisual media service providers by :
There are over 52 licensed TV stations which broadcast their programmes exclusively via cable, satellite or IPTV.

Public funding (Cable only)

Many local and regional public TV stations funded by local government unit are available through cable television only.
TV channelTypeLaunchedFormerly calledOwned byLanguageHDTV
Televizija Istočno SarajevoMunicipalРТВ Источно СарајевоIstočno SarajevoSerbian
Televizija JablanicaMunicipalRTV JablanicaJablanicaBosnian
RTV 7MunicipalTelevizija 7 TuzlaTuzlaBosnian
RTV Kozarska DubicaMunicipalРТВ Козарска ДубицаKozarska DubicaSerbian
RTV DobojMunicipalРТВ ДобојDobojSerbian
TV LukavacMunicipalTV LukavacLukavacBosnian
RTV SanaMunicipalRadio televizija SanaSanski MostBosnian

Commercial funding broadcasters (Cable only)

Foreign channels neighboring countries are available in BiH. For this reason, all TV advertisements from common ex-Yugoslav area are freely broadcast on daily basis in Bosnian cable systems. That is a major problem for domestic commercial media market, cable and satellite TV stations that aim to capture wider audiences.

Foreign pay-tv channels

Depending on cable provider and subscription type, cable TV offer usually includes channels such as FOX, FOX Movies, FOX Life, FOX Crime, AXN, MGM, Sci Fi Channel, Eurosport, MTV, Comedy Central Extra, National Geographic Channel. Bosnian cable operators offer a large number of regional national and international TV channels.
Premium sports offer is mostly limited to Arena Sport or Sport Klub TV packages.
Premium movies channels are mostly limited to the HBO and Cinemax TV packages.
There are seven licensed providers of on-demand services in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

[The United Group]/ United Media

[Discovery, Inc.]

The process of digitization is still going on. Communications Regulatory Agency of BiH issued the first licenses for digital broadcasting in BiH to broadcasters BHRT, RTVFBiH and RTRS.
Permits are valid from March 1, 2016 year.
Council of Ministers of BiH has decided to use the DVB-T2 standard for digital TV services in all nine allotments.
First stage of the transition to digital broadcasting covered Sarajevo, Mostar and Banja Luka and was completed on 14 October 2016. During this test phase, in some parts of the country, programmes from the public broadcasters are broadcasting in digital form where equipment has been installed. The signal can also be received in the surrounding cities and places with optical visibility at the emission locations. Due to the abolition of the old analogue frequency for the purposes of digital, one commercial station temporarily emits digital signal in Banja Luka area..
The second and third phase will cover six remaining areas for completing MUX-A in the whole territory of the country. That process will
be completed after tender procedure. MUX-B is intended for privately owned and regional TV stations.

Most-viewed channels in BiH

By 2012, information from MARECO INDEX BOSNIA was used, and after 2014, survey data from Audience Measurement is used.

Annual viewership overview

Annual viewership overview:

Defunct television channels in BiH