The “Center for Social Stability” is continuing its smear campaign against independent media journalists through public targeting in video content broadcast on TV stations with national coverage, United Media said.
According to United Media, the Center has announced new episodes of its series which, by its own account, will name dozens of public figures, including United Media journalists, editors, and managers. This type of public labeling constitutes serious pressure and potentially threatens the safety of individuals who perform their jobs professionally and in the public interest.
The list of nearly 50 names includes not only journalists from independent outlets but also former public officials and individuals who are not journalists by profession. This indiscriminate grouping of people with vastly different professional backgrounds and institutional roles further devalues the professional status and responsibility of those who have spent years practicing professional journalism in accordance with ethical standards and in the public interest.
This represents a continuation of a campaign aimed at discrediting the media and narrowing the space for free and critical journalism during a particularly sensitive political and social period.
We recall that the previous series titled “Zlo doba” (The Evil Times) contained a series of false and biased claims regarding United Media’s work. This led to defamation lawsuits, while the Basic Court in Novi Sad ruled in a first-instance verdict that the claims were unfounded and damaging to the reputations of N1 and Nova S. The court also issued a temporary measure prohibiting the broadcasting of the disputed content.
In other words, these announced new “episodes” are being promoted by the same actors whose previous allegations followed a similar pattern and have already been subject to judicial scrutiny.
United Media will once again pursue legal action. Appropriate court proceedings will be initiated against any content that contains false claims, targeting, or damage to the reputation of our journalists and the company.
Our response remains the same: we will continue to insist on facts, professional standards, and the protection of the right of journalists to work freely and without pressure.
Source: N1
