A member of the independent commission investigating the Novi Sad Railway Station disaster warned of significant concerns for independent media following the launch of the Adria News Network (AAN) by United Group.
AAN, headed by former N1 editorial board chief Brent Sadler, was launched to take over the management of United Media and its news outlets fueling fears that N1, Nova S, Danas daily and Radar weekly will have their editorial policies altered. Those fears stem in large part from a leaked recording of a phone conversations between United Group CEO Stan Miller and his counterpart at the state-controlled Telekom Serbia Vladimir Lucic which included the dismissal of United Media CEO Aleksandra Subotic who was fired late last week.
The open letter by civil engineer Danijel Dasic raised concerns which, according to him, are not abstract fears but are rooted in documented facts.
This is the letter in full as posted on Dasic’s X profile:
“An Open Letter to the Members of the New Management Board of United Media and Adria News Network (ANN), May Chidiac , Rani R. Raad , Simon Backs, and Nigel Baker.
We, the freethinking people of Serbia, are writing to you today not as adversaries, but as observers deeply invested in the preservation of media freedom and the professional integrity of journalism in Serbia and the region. The recent reorganization of United Media into the Adria News Network (ANN) and the appointment of a new leadership team, led by Brent Sadler, have raised our significant concerns.
These concerns are not abstract fears but are rooted in documented facts and specific personal and professional connections that represent a substantial reputational risk to the media outlets you now oversee.
We acknowledge the official statements from United Group and its majority owner, BC Partners, which claim that these changes are designed to “further strengthen editorial independence and protect journalistic freedoms”. However, the public is faced with a stark contradiction between these “sugar coated messages” and the reality of how this reorganization has been contextualized by Serbia’s political leadership, better known as the “Legacy of the Lučić–Miler Plan”.
Serbian President Vucic has been announcing changes in the editorial functions of outlets like N1 Serbia and Nova S TV for some time. The fact that these changes are now being implemented, following the blueprint of a conversation involving state officials, inevitably leads to the conclusion that the “Lučić–Miler plan” is being put into effect.
The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) and the European Commission recommendations explicitly aim to protect media pluralism from political and economic pressure, insisting that measures affecting editorial independence must be transparent and justified. By placing the fate of these outlets in the hands of a team whose composition aligns with the political interests of Vucic and his international partners, the new management is gambling with that hard-won reputation.
Therefore, we call on the new management board to provide immediate and transparent answers to the following questions:
Do you acknowledge the existence and implications of the “Lučić–Miler” audio recording? If so, how do you reconcile your appointment with the fact that this reorganization fulfills the political demands outlined in that conversation.
What is the exact nature of the relationship between the Bin Zayed-linked entities and this reorganization? Will Rani R. Raad’s role be limited to business strategy, or will he have influence over editorial boards and content?
How will you defend the newsrooms? Beyond statements of independence, what concrete actions will you take to shield journalists from the ongoing smear campaigns and political attacks documented by organizations like United Media and NUNS.”
Source: N1
