The Western Balkans — home to some 20 million people — is on the verge of losing its last remaining sources of independent journalism. A wave of media shutdowns and funding withdrawals has raised fears that the region may soon be left with only politically influenced news coverage, dominated by ruling parties and state-aligned interests.
The first major blow came with the gradual defunding of independent media by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). More recently, the surprise closure of the Al Jazeera Balkans network, funded by Qatar, sent shockwaves through the region. Over 200 employees lost their jobs as the media group announced a shift toward “a broader strategy to strengthen its digital presence and expand onto new platforms.”
The U.S. Pullback
USAID, once a lifeline for dozens of independent outlets across the Balkans, has all but ceased its media support operations. Voice of America hasn’t published a single piece since March. Radio Free Europe, though still operating, has been facing a four-month funding crisis. Meanwhile, United Group — the regional media company behind N1 and Nova TV — is undergoing a controversial leadership reshuffle amid concerns about creeping political influence.
Flutura Kusari, legal adviser at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, warns that without independent media, “citizens will be misinformed or poorly informed, as unverified content from social media and other unreliable sources will fill the void.”
Kusari emphasizes that media outlets in the region already operate under intense pressure — including political threats, financial instability, poor working conditions, and the persistent erosion of journalist safety.
“Investigative journalism is becoming a rarity, and journalism itself is no longer an attractive profession due to the risks involved,” she notes.
A Domino Effect
The problems began under the Trump administration, when large swaths of U.S. foreign aid were frozen shortly after he took office. USAID — which supported more than 6,200 journalists and over 700 media organizations in 30+ countries as of 2023 — was dismantled in early July. Future foreign aid will now be coordinated directly by the U.S. State Department.
“USAID funding enabled journalists to produce independent, in-depth reporting and allowed media organizations to cover topics typically ignored by mainstream outlets — such as human rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and minority communities,” says Kusari.
Another critical hit came in March, when Trump signed an executive order drastically cutting funding and staff across seven U.S. agencies, including the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Since March, VOA has ceased content production entirely. RFE/RL is still publishing but is embroiled in a legal dispute with USAGM. The station has enacted steep cost-saving measures, placing staff on forced leave and ending freelance contracts.
At the same time, United Group’s leadership shakeup — affecting its operations in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Greece, and Bulgaria — has prompted anxiety among editorial teams. In early July, N1 journalists received death threats addressed directly to the newsroom.
Political Pressure on the Rise
In Kosovo, press freedom has also come under increasing threat. Kusari attributes the backslide to actions taken by the ruling Vetëvendosje movement and Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s government.
“The government passed an unconstitutional media law, later overturned by the Constitutional Court. Journalists and media activists face targeted verbal attacks and harassment from politicians — including the Prime Minister himself,” she explains.
She adds that access to public records is “nearly impossible,” transparency is at an all-time low, and the ruling party regularly interferes with public broadcasters and media regulators.
According to Reporters Without Borders’ 2025 Press Freedom Index, Kosovo dropped below every other Western Balkan country — ranking 99th globally. Serbia came in slightly better at 96th, Bosnia and Herzegovina at 89th, while Montenegro led the region at 37th.
What’s at Stake
Boro Kontić, director of the Sarajevo Media Center, says the region’s media future is uncertain. He calls for both state and journalistic community engagement to preserve independent outlets.
“Without a strong media community and professional journalism that reflects public concerns and holds power to account, nothing can be done,” he says.
Even those celebrating these developments, Kontić warns, will soon realize how damaging the collapse of independent journalism is for society. “When strong, quality outlets disappear, the entire media ecosystem suffers,” he says.
Snježana Milivojević, professor at the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade, echoes this sentiment.
“The loss of a respected, professional media outlet is a loss for everyone — not just for the journalists who lose their jobs, which is a major blow to the profession, but also for the broader public, which loses a source of high standards and diverse programming that contributes to media pluralism,” she says.
Milivojević notes that many regional media outlets were initially established with foreign capital, but now face heavy political resistance. In Serbia, she says, there is a visible reassertion of state control through national telecoms and affiliated regional media.
“The intense political pressure has practically dismantled the international media assistance sector right before our eyes,” she says.
An Authoritarian Opening
This regression, warns Milka Tadić Mijović, director of Montenegro’s Center for Investigative Journalism, is creating fertile ground for authoritarianism and crony capitalism.
“These were not just ordinary media outlets — they played a crucial role throughout the darkest periods of the 1990s and helped preserve a sense of truth and accountability,” she says.
Now, she fears, the Balkan media landscape is undergoing a seismic shift.
“The closure of these outlets will leave space for authoritarian leaders and corrupt business elites to control media narratives,” she warns. “At the same time, we’re left with unreformed public broadcasters, tabloid-style journalism, and another dangerous force: social media, where disinformation spreads at the speed of light.”
— Radio Free Europe