Al Jazeera Balkans Ends Broadcast Amid Uncertainty

The news in Croatian

1. emitiranje  (n.)
   Proces slanja signala ili programa putem radija, televizije ili interneta kako bi ih publika mogla primiti i gledati/slušati. ↩︎
2. zaposlenik  (m.)
   Osoba koja radi za neku organizaciju ili tvrtku i prima plaću za svoj rad. ↩︎
3. gubitak  (m.)
   Čin ili stanje prestanka posjedovanja nečega vrijednog. ↩︎
4. bivši
   Koji je nekada bio ili je pripadao prošlosti. ↩︎
5. emitirati
   Šalje signal, program ili poruku putem medija kao što su radio, televizija ili internet. ↩︎
6. prestati
   Prekinuti neku radnju ili proces. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Where was the last broadcast of Al Jazeera Balkans shown?

Question 2: What happened to the employees of Al Jazeera Balkans after it ended its broadcast?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
emitiranje  (n.)	broadcasting
zaposlenik  (m.)	employee
gubitak  (m.)	loss
bivši	former
emitirati	to broadcast
prestati	to cease

Read the full story

Regional television network Al Jazeera Balkans (AJB) has aired its final originally produced programme, with a complete cessation of its broadcasting expected by the end of July. This marks the end of nearly 14 years of service since its inception in 2011. The network covered the countries of the former Yugoslavia, establishing a strong regional presence.

During the closing broadcast, presenter Dalija Hasanbegović addressed the audience with a heartfelt message, expressing gratitude for the viewers’ trust over the years. “We are proud of each of the 4,970 days spent serving you,” she remarked, before signing off from their central studio in Sarajevo.

The announcement to shut down has left approximately 200 employees in Sarajevo and studios across Zagreb, Belgrade, Podgorica, and Pristina in a state of uncertainty. The news came suddenly, with employees informed of both the closure and impending job losses at the last minute. Repeated broadcasts will continue until the full shutdown is completed.

The decision to cease operations has drawn a response from the BH Journalists’ Association, which expressed regret over the closure of a media outlet known for its stable financial backing and high standards of journalistic integrity. They have urged AJB’s management to openly communicate the reasons behind this drastic measure and ensure a lawful process for the termination of employment contracts.

Speculation surrounds the shutdown, with rumours suggesting that Al Jazeera’s Qatar-based headquarters might be dissatisfied with the financial performance of the Balkans project. So far, AJB’s administration has not publicly commented on the motivations behind this decision, leaving many questions unanswered about the future of the network and its impact on regional media landscape.

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