Despite its small size and division along the ethnic lines, Kosovo has a pluralistic and dynamic media market. The highly concentrated TV sector is dominated by private channels based in Pristina, the capital, although the public broadcaster RTK plays an important role. New online news portals include strong brands such as BIRN, Kossev or Kosovo 2.0, the latter being one of the few media outlets to publish both in Albanian and Serbian. 

Even if the media succeed in holding politicians accountable, journalists continue to be the targets of political attacks. The ineffective media regulator, the Independent Media Commission (IMC), was subjected to a controversial legislative reform that risks further hampering its independence. Before the 2025 general election, several private media were targeted by a boycott from the government, which also threatened the independence of the public broadcaster RTK. Serbian-language media, which are under pressure from Serbian political forces, have complained of discrimination in access to public information, particularly in their language, which is that of the constitutional minority. 

Freedom of expression, protection of sources and the right to information are legally guaranteed, while defamation and libel are decriminalised. But more and more journalists have been subjected to SLAPPs initiated by business groups and politicians. The access to public information has been hampered by poor application of the law. In practice, copyright law is not upheld either.

The media are mainly funded by advertising revenues from the private sector, and are also sometimes supported by municipal authorities or political parties. In addition, through their owners, private media newsrooms are exposed to interference from powerful political or business groups. Serbian-language media face the extra challenge of a small market in which some media depend on funding from neighbouring Serbia, while the independent media would not survive without international funding.  

Although journalists are trusted by society, independent media and investigative journalists are often the targets of insults and fake news on social media. They are unfairly accused of “collaborating with the enemy”, rhetoric used by political and religious groups. 

Although no journalist has been killed since 2005, the murders and disappearances that took place during the Kosovo War (1998-1999) and in the following years have gone unpunished. In recent years, many journalists have been subjected to threats and physical attacks from criminal networks and also due to the political tension between Pristina and Belgrade. Some journalists have also been targeted by surveillance. Although the attacks are investigated by the police and prosecutor’s office, they have rarely resulted in prosecutions.