Public media and AI: the Western Balkans between light and shadow
Are public services in the Western Balkans ready for the challenges of artificial intelligence? Research highlights the creation of basic institutional and ethical frameworks, but digital transition and AI management remain insufficient
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NarativAI – Center for Media Innovation in the Balkans has published “Transparency and AI Readiness of Western Balkan Public Service Broadcasters”, the first regional assessment of its kind examining how public broadcasters across the Western Balkans are responding to the challenges of digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
The report evaluates the extent to which public service broadcasters have established transparent governance practices, accessible ethical frameworks, and modern standards addressing digital, social media, and AI-related risks.
The analysis is based on publicly available information and applies a standardized 100-point methodology, combining indicators for transparency (50 points) and digital and AI readiness (50 points).
Seven public service broadcasters were assessed: MRTV (North Macedonia), RTS (Serbia), RTCG (Montenegro), BHRT (Bosnia and Herzegovina), RTSH (Albania), RTK (Kosovo), and HRT (Croatia). Together, these institutions play a central role in shaping public trust, information integrity, and democratic accountability in the region.
The research was conducted between October and November 2025 and relied on document analysis, public disclosures, and institutional websites. No internal or confidential information was used.
The results show that public service broadcasters in the Western Balkans fall within a zone of moderate overall readiness, with total scores ranging between 50 and 65 out of 100 points. While most broadcasters have established basic institutional and ethical frameworks, the report finds that digital transformation and AI governance remain uneven and underdeveloped.
The highest scores were achieved by BHRT and RTK (65 points each), followed by RTCG and RTSH (60 points), while RTS scored 55 points. HRT and MRTV recorded the lowest results with 50 points each, positioning them at the lower end of the regional spectrum.
“This is the first regional assessment of transparency and AI readiness of public broadcasters in the Western Balkans. It establishes a clear baseline of where public service media currently stand, and it is designed as a long-term research effort that will continue in the coming years”, says Aleksandar Manasiev Founder and President of NarativAI – Center for Media Innovation in the Balkans, and author of the research.
“This publication is not a critique, but a constructive, evidence-based tool. Its goal is to highlight both gaps and positive practices, and to support public broadcasters in strengthening transparency, ethical governance, and preparedness for the AI-driven media environment”, adds Manasiev.
Broadcasters generally perform better in areas related to formal transparency, such as the existence of statutes, governance documents, and general ethical codes. However, AI-specific policies, editorial guidance on algorithmic tools, and safeguards against synthetic or manipulated content are largely absent across the region.
The assessment identifies a recurring gap between traditional governance structures and the realities of contemporary newsroom practices, where AI tools are increasingly used informally and without clear institutional oversight.
“Public service media in the Western Balkans are not starting from scratch, they have strong ethical foundations. The challenge now is to modernise those frameworks for the AI era, strengthen transparency, and openly communicate standards to the public. This research is a starting point for that process, not its conclusion, Manasiev told OBCT.
By applying the same criteria across all seven broadcasters, the report establishes a comparative regional benchmark. This approach allows policymakers, regulators, journalists, and civil society organizations to better understand relative strengths, shared weaknesses, and priority areas for reform.
The authors of the report suggest that strengthening public trust in public service media will increasingly depend on updating ethical frameworks, improving public accessibility of key documents, and developing clear, enforceable policies on the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
“It is particularly encouraging that BHRT and RTCG publicly shared the findings of our research. In the case of RTCG, the broadcaster was already working on a new Code of Ethics during the research period, integrating AI-related principles into journalistic practice. This makes RTCG the first public broadcaster in the region with such ethical rules and positions it to significantly improve its results in future assessments.”
NarativAI emphasizes that the report is not intended as a ranking exercise alone, but as a practical tool for institutional learning and reform. Key recommendations include updating ethical codes to explicitly address AI, automation, and synthetic content, improving the public visibility and accessibility of governance and ethics documents, establishing clear editorial accountability mechanisms for digital and AI-driven workflows, ensuring transparency toward audiences regarding the use of emerging technologies.
“Looking ahead, we plan to expand this assessment to include additional countries from the Balkans and beyond, allowing us to compare where the region stands in relation to other media systems. The scope and pace of this expansion will depend on the resources available within our ongoing and future projects”, Manasiev explains.
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Public media and AI: the Western Balkans between light and shadow
Are public services in the Western Balkans ready for the challenges of artificial intelligence? Research highlights the creation of basic institutional and ethical frameworks, but digital transition and AI management remain insufficient
shutterstock_2366789275
NarativAI – Center for Media Innovation in the Balkans has published “Transparency and AI Readiness of Western Balkan Public Service Broadcasters”, the first regional assessment of its kind examining how public broadcasters across the Western Balkans are responding to the challenges of digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
The report evaluates the extent to which public service broadcasters have established transparent governance practices, accessible ethical frameworks, and modern standards addressing digital, social media, and AI-related risks.
The analysis is based on publicly available information and applies a standardized 100-point methodology, combining indicators for transparency (50 points) and digital and AI readiness (50 points).
Seven public service broadcasters were assessed: MRTV (North Macedonia), RTS (Serbia), RTCG (Montenegro), BHRT (Bosnia and Herzegovina), RTSH (Albania), RTK (Kosovo), and HRT (Croatia). Together, these institutions play a central role in shaping public trust, information integrity, and democratic accountability in the region.
The research was conducted between October and November 2025 and relied on document analysis, public disclosures, and institutional websites. No internal or confidential information was used.
The results show that public service broadcasters in the Western Balkans fall within a zone of moderate overall readiness, with total scores ranging between 50 and 65 out of 100 points. While most broadcasters have established basic institutional and ethical frameworks, the report finds that digital transformation and AI governance remain uneven and underdeveloped.
The highest scores were achieved by BHRT and RTK (65 points each), followed by RTCG and RTSH (60 points), while RTS scored 55 points. HRT and MRTV recorded the lowest results with 50 points each, positioning them at the lower end of the regional spectrum.
“This is the first regional assessment of transparency and AI readiness of public broadcasters in the Western Balkans. It establishes a clear baseline of where public service media currently stand, and it is designed as a long-term research effort that will continue in the coming years”, says Aleksandar Manasiev Founder and President of NarativAI – Center for Media Innovation in the Balkans, and author of the research.
“This publication is not a critique, but a constructive, evidence-based tool. Its goal is to highlight both gaps and positive practices, and to support public broadcasters in strengthening transparency, ethical governance, and preparedness for the AI-driven media environment”, adds Manasiev.
Broadcasters generally perform better in areas related to formal transparency, such as the existence of statutes, governance documents, and general ethical codes. However, AI-specific policies, editorial guidance on algorithmic tools, and safeguards against synthetic or manipulated content are largely absent across the region.
The assessment identifies a recurring gap between traditional governance structures and the realities of contemporary newsroom practices, where AI tools are increasingly used informally and without clear institutional oversight.
“Public service media in the Western Balkans are not starting from scratch, they have strong ethical foundations. The challenge now is to modernise those frameworks for the AI era, strengthen transparency, and openly communicate standards to the public. This research is a starting point for that process, not its conclusion, Manasiev told OBCT.
By applying the same criteria across all seven broadcasters, the report establishes a comparative regional benchmark. This approach allows policymakers, regulators, journalists, and civil society organizations to better understand relative strengths, shared weaknesses, and priority areas for reform.
The authors of the report suggest that strengthening public trust in public service media will increasingly depend on updating ethical frameworks, improving public accessibility of key documents, and developing clear, enforceable policies on the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
“It is particularly encouraging that BHRT and RTCG publicly shared the findings of our research. In the case of RTCG, the broadcaster was already working on a new Code of Ethics during the research period, integrating AI-related principles into journalistic practice. This makes RTCG the first public broadcaster in the region with such ethical rules and positions it to significantly improve its results in future assessments.”
NarativAI emphasizes that the report is not intended as a ranking exercise alone, but as a practical tool for institutional learning and reform. Key recommendations include updating ethical codes to explicitly address AI, automation, and synthetic content, improving the public visibility and accessibility of governance and ethics documents, establishing clear editorial accountability mechanisms for digital and AI-driven workflows, ensuring transparency toward audiences regarding the use of emerging technologies.
“Looking ahead, we plan to expand this assessment to include additional countries from the Balkans and beyond, allowing us to compare where the region stands in relation to other media systems. The scope and pace of this expansion will depend on the resources available within our ongoing and future projects”, Manasiev explains.
