While Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic continues to insist he has no interest in United Group’s media outlets, Nova.rs has learned from multiple sources that former CNN journalist and ex-N1 advisor Brent Sadler could soon be appointed director of all media operations within United Group.
This move, which would formally be signed off by United Group CEO Stan Miller, is sparking serious concern among journalists and editors at United Media.
Brent Sadler has repeatedly dodged questions from N1 and other United Media outlets, yet he has been sharply critical of N1 in articles for the Croatian weekly Nacional, and even linked us to Russian influence in an Israeli publication.
N1 recently requested to buy out its channels from its owner, United Group.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic again lashed out at N1 TV on Thursday, accusing it of spreading lies, and repeated serious accusations against United Group founder Dragan Solak, whom he called a “notorious criminal.” Vucic denied interfering in the editorial policies of any media operating under the company, including N1, or ever concerning himself with who serves as editor there.
All N1 centers, along with other United Group media in Serbia, have launched a management buyout initiative backed by independent investors.
Journalists from Serbia and across the region are offering full support, emphasizing that there can be no free society without free media.
Colleagues from the region also believe that an initiative like this is the only way out.
“First and foremost, the new owner needs to address the public and explain their plans so the situation is clear. I support any initiative you launch. That said, experience tells me investors are not the ideal solution, but unfortunately right now there is no other option. We currently don’t have an answer on how to find a model of stable funding free of political pressure, and that is the only way independent media can survive,” European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) President Maja Sever told Nova.rs.
Following management changes at United Group, the public learned that people outside the company could be involved in decisions about the future of United Media outlets—specifically Serbia’s president and the executive branch, as well as Telekom Srbija CEO Vladimir Lucic.
In September, the international investigative outlet OCCRP published an audio recording of a conversation between United Group CEO Stan Miller and Telekom Srbija CEO Vladimir Lucic, in which they discussed changes to United Group media. They referenced a business agreement between BC Partners’ Nikos Stathopoulos and Aleksandar Vucic, explicitly mentioning Vucic’s desire for the new United Group leadership to accelerate those changes, including the removal of Aleksandra Subotic, CEO of United Media, which encompasses outlets like N1 and Nova.
The president himself said back in February that United Group had failed to secure financing and that journalists would be laid off in November. With November being the month when final 2026 budgets are set, as well as long-term budgets for the next five years, it is high time this issue was resolved.
That is the backdrop for the initiative, in which United Group newsrooms are proposing a management buyout: purchasing the portals and publications from United Group.
The goal is clear: institutional protection of the editors and journalistic independence of these media outlets on sustainable principles, in line with the best European practices. Under this model, the newsroom management would assume responsibility and corporate governance, thereby preventing political and business interference in editorial policy.
Source: N1
