When the owner of an illegal television station calls independent journalists “fascists” in a live broadcast, it’s not just a question of ethics — it’s also a question of law. This is precisely why the director of the Media and Reform Center, Nikola Stojanović, filed a criminal complaint against Bojan Avramović, the director of Niš TV, pointing to the ever-present targeting of professional media in Serbia.
Against the owner and editor of illegal Niš Bojan Avramović’s TV, who in a live program called the free media “fascist” – Director of the Media and Reform Center Nikola Stojanović submitted criminal charges.
Stojanović points out that its goal is “to protect the rights of journalists in Niš, preserve freedom of expression and prevent further collapse of media freedom and the culture of public dialogue in our society.”
“Such a qualification represents unacceptable hate speech and an attempt to discredit the few professional journalists and media workers who perform their work in accordance with the highest professional and ethical standards. Statements of this type not only insult the personal and professional dignity of journalists, but directly threaten freedom of speech and create an atmosphere of fear and pressure on the media that work in the interests of citizens,” believes Stojanović.
Stojanović said that he expects the authorities to react urgently and impartially, in accordance with the law, and to protect the rights of journalists and professional media who are daily exposed to attacks, threats and baseless accusations. He believes that media freedom is the basis of democracy, and that journalists in Niš have the right to do their work without fear or pressure.
Let us recall, when Nis TV started broadcasting in May, the first show hosted President Vučić, followed by a rebroadcast of the Informer TV program, while the “Niš TV” logo was “over” that program.
NUNS condemns dangerous statements, requests REM to investigate the operation of illegal TV
The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) reacted yesterday with a statement, in which they state that they strongly condemn the inappropriate, offensive and dangerous statements made by the owner and editor-in-chief of Niš TV, Bojan Avramović, during the broadcast of the media conference from the Niš City Assembly.
They remind that Avramović called the journalists of Mediareform and other media who do their work professionally “fascists”, just because they asked legitimate questions about the legality of the work of his television.
“Such insults and targeting of journalists, especially those who perform their work professionally and ask questions of public interest, represent an unacceptable attack on media freedom and journalistic integrity. It is particularly worrying that this incident was preceded by a report by the Mediareform portal that Niš TV broadcasts a program without the permission of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM), as well as without the approval of the Niš City Assembly for the use of the name ‘Niš,’ NUNS points out.
The association points out that the behavior of a person who introduced herself as a Niš TV journalist, and who during the conference directly addressed the editor of the Mediareform portal Jovana Stojanović, commenting on her physical appearance, in front of the mayor Dragoslav Pavlović, is additionally disturbing. They assess that such a misogynistic outburst represents a gross violation of the journalist’s dignity and the working environment in which she should be protected.
We remind you that the holders of power, regardless of the level, have the obligation to provide equal access to all media and to ensure a safe and professional environment for the work of journalists, without discrimination and pressure. Mayor Pavlović, however, did not react to the insults addressed to the journalist, nor did he condemn the public insulting of the media, but continued to participate in the program of a television that exists and operates illegally, by making a guest appearance on this television again – according to NUNS.
In the end, they demand that the REM urgently investigate the circumstances of broadcasting the program without a license and take measures prescribed by law, as well as that the Ministry, which previously stated that it “has no information” about illegal television, “urgently declares the case and initiates proceedings for the illegal operation of the media”.
Some opposition politicians reacted, an apology from the President of the Assembly
The incident, which later turned into a public and dangerous insult to all professional media in Nis, took place at a press conference in the City Assembly, a rare place where journalists in this city can ask questions of the authorities.
At that moment, it was the mayor of Niš, Dragoslav Pavlović, who answered the questions, who did not react to the fact that the man who introduced himself as a “journalist from Niš TV”, and later it turned out to be Tomislav Lovreković, told the Mediareform journalist “that her hands are shaking from anger and that it affects her beauty”.
Avramović followed up on that in his program by calling the media “fascists”, and then directly targeted Juzne vesti.
Numerous colleagues reacted, and soon the Citizens’ Group “Dr. Dragan Milić” also spoke out, assessing that Avramović’s statement was “a serious accusation against the media, which shows that the division of the people continues and that journalists and free-thinking citizens are being targeted with harsh qualifications.”
“We consider it our duty to strongly condemn this form of rhetoric, which represents a serious attack on media freedom, the professional integrity of journalists and democratic values. The use of terms like “fascism” dangerously relativizes the crimes and ideology of fascism and insults the victims of that regime. Attacks of this type serve only to intimidate journalists, narrow the space for free expression and incite distrust in media institutions,” they said in a statement.
They point out that they strongly condemn such hate speech, as well as that journalists in Nis are not fascists and that the narrative that opponents of the regime are fascists is inadmissible.
Source: mediareform.rs, Vreme
