Self-sustainable independent media have yet to become well-established in Bosnia and Herzegovina.   Thanks to contributions by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), things are improving in this country.   The very first private printing plant in Bosnia and Herzegovina, worth a value of over 2,350,000 KM (approximately $1,175,000), was opened on July 9, 2002 in Mahovljani/Laktasi near Banja Luka.  This facility will serve an already well-established daily “Nezavisne Novine” (“The Independent Newspaper”), read by over 10,000 people throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The success of this investment was reflected in the words of Mr.  Robert P.  Jacobs, USAID Acting Mission Director, who said that “Nezavisne Novine” “employs over 160 workers, and additional jobs will be created in the new printing plant”.

The daily itself, along with its director and owner, Mr.  Zeljko Kopanja, has a dramatic history.  Established in 1995 by Mr.   Kopanja on his return from Belgrade, “Nezavisne Novine” was a bi-weekly with a modest circulation of 3,000 copies sold per day.  It became a daily in 1997, and has since increased circulation more then threefold (3,000 in 1997 compared to 10,000 in 2001).  The company grew rapidly under harsh economic and political circumstances.   The culmination of that pressure was an assassination attempt on Mr.  Kopanja, the director, when he lost both legs.  Although the message sent by this act was clear, “Nezavisne Novine” has continued to “survive and thrive.”[1]

“Nezavisne Novine” is not the only media establishment to benefit from the new printing facility.  The facility’s convenient location has made it attractive for a number of printed media throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Croatia and Serbia.  With management that is free of political prejudices and pressures, the facility does not discriminate and the plant is used by all independent media in the region.  Thus, printing using the state-of-the-art equipment of the “Nezavisne Novine” printing plant will be cost-effective, since the independent media will not be charged higher printing fees because of their political affiliations as is the practice of some existing printing companies.

USAID is thus proud to have supported this endeavour with a business loan of KM 1,000,000 (approximately $500,000).  Nezavisne Novine started  printing in its own printing plant on June 21, 2002.   Their current daily circulation in the summer season is 8,500 and they cover the entire territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina.  The company is able to provide printing services to other publishers at lower prices than the state printing companies, thus increasing revenues and profit.  An additional advantage is that the improved quality of the newspaper will enable the company to attract more customers to advertise in the newspaper and their magazine.

Through supporting “Nezavisne Novine”, USAID has proved, once again, that it is strongly committed to strengthening peace and democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the region.
 

[1]Clifford G.  Bond, Ambassador of the United States of America in Bosnia and Herzegovina in his speech of 9^th July 2002 in Mahovljani/Laktasi.

Last updated  on : 12/01/2008