The newspaper “Glas” (today “Glas Srpske”) was first published on July 31, 1943, under the name “Glas narodno-oslobodilačkog pokreta u Bosanskoj Krajini” (“Voice of the People’s Liberation Movement in Bosanska Krajina”). A day earlier, the first issue of “Glas” was printed near Drvar in the home of the Tadić family. The first issue reported on the successes of the Allies in the fight against fascism, primarily the Red Army, as well as domestic traitors who had sided with the occupiers in the fight against communism. The issue also featured a report on the partisan liberation of Prnjavor.
During the war, “Glas” became the official publication of the People’s Liberation Front for the Banja Luka district. From 1945 to 1951, “Glas” was published as the organ of the Regional People’s Front, and from 1953 to 1955, it was issued as the organ of the Socialist Alliance of Working People under the name “Banjalučke novine” (“Banja Luka Newspaper”). From 1955 to 1963, it was published under the title “Krajiške novine” (“Krajina Newspaper”), and since then, it has once again been published under the name “Glas.”
The first editorial board of “Glas” consisted of revolutionaries Skender Kulenović, Ilija Došen, Đuro Pucar Stari, Rada Vranješević, Vilko Vinterhalter, Osman Karabegović, and Boško Šiljegović. A monument to these heroes still stands in the courtyard of the company in Banja Luka. In 1968, a commemorative plaque was placed on the Tadić family house to mark the 25th anniversary of the printing of the first issue. This plaque was destroyed in 1995 by nationalists.
Throughout its history, “Glas” has organized numerous cultural events, one of which is the selection of the ten best athletes of Bosanska Krajina. This event was first held in 1955. Some of the notable contributors to “Glas” were Branko Ćopić and Limun Papić. In 1969, “Glas” was awarded the Order of Merit for the People, with Silver Rays.
Although founded by partisans and later operating as a workers’ cooperative, “Glas” took on an entirely new path in 1992. At the onset of conflict between the coalition partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SDS, SDA, HDZ), it began publishing as a daily newspaper and changed its name to “Glas srpski” (“Serbian voice”). The newspaper was founded by the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska (RS) and continued under this name until 2003, when it was renamed “Glas Srpske” (“Voice of Srpska”). As the role of print media diminished, “Glas” became a burden for the government, leading to privatization.
In January 2008, the RS government approved the privatization of “Glas Srpske,” “Glas srpski – Grafika,” and “Glas srpski – Trgovina.” The new owner became the consortium “Integral Inženjering – Dnevne Nezavisne Novine”. The privatization was completed in April 2008. Today, “Glas Srpske” employs 95 workers. However, given the difficult situation in the publishing industry, not only in Bosnia and Herzegovina but globally, its future remains uncertain.
