The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) called on journalists and citizens to assemble at 7 pm on Tuesday outside the N1 building to show solidarity with the newsroom.
“The removal of Igor Bozic and the events that followed have caused serious concern among employees and the wider public, as they raise questions about the future editorial independence of one of Serbia’s key media outlets,” the association said.
“At the same time, warnings from both our side and international journalists’ associations indicate that this is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader process that could lead to the total collapse of the independent media scene.
“That is why it is vital that we stand together today.
To show that journalists are not alone.
To defend the public’s right to be informed.
To preserve one of our voices.
See you today at 7 pm in front of N1.
The Media Association
The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)
The Online Media Association (AOM)
The Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (NDNV)
The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS)
The Business Association of Local and Independent Media ‘Lokal Pres’
The Slavko Curuvija Foundation
The ‘Nezavisnost’ Branch Trade Union of Culture, Art and Media,” the press release reads.
Commission of inquiry voices support
The Commission of Inquiry investigating the November 1, 2024 canopy collapse in Novi Sad also voiced its support.
“The commission provides full support to N1, to the journalism that has allowed Serbian citizens to learn the truth about the canopy collapse, student protests, the use of force against peaceful demonstrators, the sound cannon, etc. There is no alternative to the truth! We are fighting for you and standing with you,” the commission said on the social media platform X.
Students add their voice
Student protesters from the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Organizational Sciences (FON) said on Tuesday that the removal of TV N1’s director has made the media darkness in Serbia even darker.
“The removal of N1 director (Igor Bozic) and the appointment of Brent Sadler in his stead is not just another personnel change. It is further confirmation of what we heard in the conversation between (Telekom CEO Vladimir) Lucic and Stan Miller. Behind such moves lies a broader plan to reshape and weaken the media landscape that remains outside of government control. This is yet another step toward the total suppression of free and critical reporting,” the students wrote on X.
They added that “it is now more important than ever to support independent media, follow their work, share their content, and defend the public’s right to hear the truth.”
Political actors also weigh in
Go-Change: Continued pressure on N1 further erodes media freedom in Serbia
The Go-Change Movement expressed concern over the manner in which changes are being implemented within the N1 newsroom, stating that such moves come at a time when media freedom in Serbia is already severely compromised.
In a press release, the movement reminded the public that “media freedom and editorial independence are fundamental constitutional values and key to any democratic society.”
They pointed out that Serbia has long suffered from a concentration of media influence in the hands of the authorities.
“In a landscape where most media in Serbia are under direct or indirect government influence, where the public service broadcaster fails its legal duty and serves as a regime propaganda mouthpiece, and the regulatory body REM fails to ensure a level playing field, outlets like N1, Nova S, and Insajder, even though without national broadcasting licences, represent rare spaces where citizens can find critical and pluralistic information,” the press release said.
The Go-Change movement argues that the current changes in these newsrooms cannot be viewed in isolation.
“The way these changes are being handled reinforces fears that this is a case of intensified pressure aimed at stifling independent media,” they emphasized.
The movement offered its support to N1 journalists and staff, emphasizing the need for clear guarantees.
“We support the demands of N1 journalists and its other employees for clear, written guarantees regarding the preservation of editorial policy and professional standards,” the movement said.
They also addressed the position of employees within the United Media system.
“Employees in United Media newsroom have a right to a clear and transparent explanation for these decisions. The new management must urgently answer the questions of the staff, who have been targets of physical and verbal attacks by pro-government figures and media dozens of times over the past years, especially in the past 15 months.”
Finally, the movement noted that the issue of media freedom transcends professional boundaries and strikes at the very foundations of the political system.
“Free media are not a privilege, but the bedrock of democracy,” Go-Change said.
Belgrade on the Move: Every attack on the media is an attack on the people’s right to be informed
The Belgrade on the Move civil society organization condemned the mounting pressure on TV N1 on Tuesday, characterizing it as a blatant attempt to stifle media freedom in Serbia.
In a press release, the organization noted that any attack on independent media – at a time when the majority of the media landscape is under government control or influence – constitutes an attack on the public’s right to be informed.
It emphasized that N1 is one of the few media outlets that consistently covers issues of public interest and refuses to be silent. It argued that this is precisely why the station is under pressure: in a system devoid of accountability, free media become an obstacle.
The organization assessed that the removal of Igor Bozic further confirms these suspicions and represents an attempt to shift editorial policy and dismantle objective, independent reporting.
Belgrade on the Move is demanding an immediate end to the pressure on N1 and guarantees that journalists will be able to work freely, stressing that this is not just about a single media outlet, but about whether citizens will have the right to know the truth.
Source: N1
