Huremović opens 'Media Freedom and Shaping the Future of Media' conference

"Not only declaratively, but every day, hour by hour, we consistently apply the postulates of impartial and accurate reporting. I say this proudly and with great satisfaction, especially because I am addressing you participants, experienced and dedicated media workers and representatives of the academic community. Our social responsibility is also reflected in our intention to organize an event like this," said Huremović.
 
The conference represents an opportunity, says Huremović, to exchange experiences and redefine the way in which they are consumed, products publish content in the general social interest of society, and freedom of expression as a fundamental human right is a true jewel of a democratic society, but this right must never be equated with hate speech and propaganda.
 
"Regulation of boundaries between freedom of expression and hate speech is a challenge for the state, the media and society as a whole. Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the aggression we experienced in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s give us plenty of evidence that the media can be misused and used for the realization of criminal intentions," stated Huremović.
 
The issue of copyright protection is also extremely important for the entire media industry, globally, but also in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it is extremely important due to the financial viability of the creators of news and media content, and it is an issue that the whole world is facing.
 
Huremović reminds that the European Union is trying to prevent the unauthorized redistribution of news through legislation, especially when it comes to megacorporations such as Meta, Google, Twitter, and how to deal with these challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina that were discussed at the second panel of the conference.
 
"The world we live in today is not the same as it was five or more years ago. Technological inventions and innovations are interactively related to the behavior of the entire society. It is no longer clear whether technology changes people and their habits or whether people accepted technological innovations because of their new needs," said Huremović.
 
Namely, this new, digital era has brought enormous opportunities for the progress of the media, but at the same time an even greater responsibility, because reporting is no longer the privilege of the journalistic community and media companies, so it is important to know how to distinguish between information and misinformation.
 
Deep fake videos litter social platforms and factcheckers have a lot of work, but Huremović says that the question arises whether the exposure of fake content is intensive and efficient enough and how much it can really improve the situation with its reactive action.
 
He believes that the world today is at an important crossroads and that the habits of readers, listeners and viewers, especially young people, are changing, and the subjects of their interest are often worrisome, which is why the future of media lies not only in the hands of journalists, media and content creators, but also in the collective ability to adapt, innovate and exploit the potential of new platforms.
 
"It is up to us to ensure that the media remain a force for good, promoting truth, transparency and inclusiveness. It is particularly important to ensure transparency of media ownership and transparency of funding. In shaping the future of the media, we have to face some key challenges ahead of us," believes Huremović.
 
He said that the first and most important is to emphasize the fundamental values of journalism in a world where misinformation and manipulation are widespread, and it is necessary to strengthen the dedication to the truth. Journalists have always been the guardians of democracy, and it is imperative to support and protect their role in society, but at the same time to insist on respecting media and journalistic ethics.
 
It is also necessary to accept the power of technology as a catalyst for change, because artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual and augmented reality - are already there and are being applied, but by smartly using these tools, it is possible to significantly improve work.
 
However, the pitfalls that new technology brings, such as misuse of private data, misuse of artificial intelligence, biased algorithms of social platforms, and the like, must never be ignored.
 
Huremović notes that therefore cooperation and partnerships will be key to success in shaping the future of the media and points out that it is important to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue, create alliances between media organizations, technology companies, legislators and civil society, and create an innovation ecosystem based on collective wisdom and shared values .
 
"It is necessary to empower society to become an active participant in this rapid evolution of the media landscape. Especially through the education system in which we need to integrate digital literacy, critical thinking and media skills. We also need more accessible tools for identifying reliable sources so that they can more easily navigate the jungle of information and disinformation, accurate and biased news," he underlined.
 
At the end of his address, he emphasized that this conference should not be just a one-time event, but the beginning of a long-term process. He expressed hope that today everyone will make new connnections, inspire and motivate each other for further work together, and provide support to each other in achieving a common goal, which is the construction of a strong, ethical and innovative media scene in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

(FENA) A. B.

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