The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) expresses serious concern over Yettel’s decision, as part of a so-called pilot project, to change the television packages of certain subscribers by removing N1 and Nova and reducing the subscription fee by RSD 300.
Of particular concern is the fact that this decision is being made in a highly concentrated media content distribution market and at a time when N1, Nova and other United Media newsrooms have long been exposed to political and economic pressure, as well as uncertainty regarding their future position.
According to the latest data from RATEL for the first quarter of 2026, the Telekom Srbija Group held 62.3% of the media content distribution market by number of subscribers, SBB held 29%, and Yettel 5.4%. Following the integration of Yettel and SBB, the distribution market is effectively concentrated between two large business groups, one of which is Telekom Srbija, a majority state-owned company.
In such an environment, distributors’ decisions concerning the availability of news channels cannot be viewed solely as private business decisions. They may directly affect the reach of media outlets, their economic sustainability and, consequently, the position of the journalists and other media workers they employ.
IJAS particularly notes that the explanation referring to the “improvement of the user experience” raises additional questions if N1 and Nova were specifically singled out for removal from the packages in advance, while subscribers were not offered an equal opportunity to remove other news channels instead. Under such a model, it is difficult to determine whether the pilot project is genuinely testing users’ preferences or their willingness to accept a package without two specific media outlets in exchange for a lower price.
This case must therefore also be viewed within the broader context of changes in Serbia’s media and distribution markets, including the removal of N1 and Nova from Total TV’s offer after it came under the control of Telekom Srbija, as well as previously documented statements and discussions about scaling down the operations of United Media outlets in Serbia (transcript of the Lučić–Miller conversation).
Another factor relevant to assessing the potential impact on media pluralism is the current political and social context, particularly in view of the announced elections and the importance of access to diverse sources of information during the pre-election period. According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026, N1 and RTS are the most widely used news sources in Serbia, each reaching 38% of the population weekly, while Nova ranks second with a weekly reach of 24%. At the same time, N1 and Nova are among the media outlets enjoying the highest levels of public trust in Serbia.
In this context, the fact that the decision specifically concerns N1 and Nova S, which are widely recognised as important sources of information, warrants further scrutiny of its potential impact on pluralism and citizens’ right to receive information from diverse sources.
The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) establishes citizens’ right of access to a plurality of editorially independent media content as one of its key standards. Through its case law concerning Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Court of Human Rights has also emphasised the state’s positive obligation to ensure the conditions necessary for effective media pluralism.
IJAS therefore calls on RATEL, the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM), and the Commission for the Protection of Competition to examine this case, each within its respective remit, including its impact on market competition, the equal treatment of media content providers and media pluralism. Existing legislation provides mechanisms through which the state may intervene when concentration in distribution or the conduct of operators threatens the public interest, including the possibility of imposing an obligation to carry certain media content when the relevant statutory conditions are met.
IJAS recalls that media freedom does not merely mean protecting journalists from direct pressure. It also entails creating conditions in which professional newsrooms can reach their audiences, journalists can work free from economic and political pressure, and citizens have a genuine choice between different, editorially independent sources of information.
Ultimately, the issue is not merely whether N1 and Nova will remain available in a particular television package. The question is whether Serbia’s highly concentrated distribution market will allow for a plurality of media content or whether decisions made by a handful of dominant companies will determine which sources of information can reach citizens and under what conditions.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Belgrade, 2 September 2026
