Citizens and journalists assembled outside the N1 building in Belgrade on Tuesday to show solidarity with the staff following the removal of the station’s long-time director, Igor Bozic.
In addition to citizens, the rally was joined by numerous fellow journalists from other newsrooms, as well as bikers and public figures.
The crowd greeted N1 journalists with applause, and a banner was unfurled with the message “No one is alone.”
N1 employees met on Tuesday with the new chief news executive, Brent Sadler, but the atmosphere in the newsroom remains unchanged as staff continue to voice deep concerns, an N1 reporter noted from the rally.
The rally was called by various media associations after N1 staff held a protest on Monday, voicing fears that Bozic’s removal could signal a shift in editorial policy.
On Friday, the new management notified Bozic of his removal as director. He was informed that he is currently unassigned and will no longer lead the newsroom pending a decision by the Adria News Network (ANN) Board regarding his status.
ANEM’s Matic: We must all work together to preserve N1
Veran Matic of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) said that N1 works in the public interest, adding that he views the rally as a vital display of public support.
“You are fighting – fighting for the public interest and professionalism through your work. Serbian citizens should be worried for themselves, they risk losing a reliable source of information. When you lose reliable media, you become vulnerable to manipulation, and that is a massive problem in Serbia,” Matic told N1.
He added that N1 is a highly professional outlet that “we must all work together to preserve.”
“Clearly, if you as employees are worried, then we as viewers should be even more concerned,” Matic noted.
Pescanik’s Ilic: The heaviest blow the regime could deal to the rebellion in Serbia
Dejan Ilic, a columnist for the Pescanik portal, told N1 that what is currently happening is “the heaviest blow the regime could deal to the rebellion in Serbia.”
“There is nothing more damaging the regime could do against the movement than for something to happen to N1 and Nova,” Ilic emphasized.
He expressed skepticism about N1’s future, though he added that he “would like nothing more than for everything to be fine,” noting that “everyone is worried.”
Source: N1
