If we are really “losers”, here is an opportunity for the United group to get us off the hump, Slobodan Georgiev, news director at TV Nova, tells us. It is about the offer of the media to take over themselves and continue to work professionally
The management of N1 Group and partner newsrooms Nova S, portals Nova, Danas and Radar sent an official offer to the owners of those media, BC Partners and United Group, to take over one hundred percent ownership of information to the media in Serbia and the region.
The specific offer – the sum was not disclosed – was submitted with a letter in which the management emphasizes that the aim of the takeover is to preserve independence and professional standards.
News director at Nova TV Slobodan Georgiev tells “Vreme” that the current moment for taking over United Media is good because the rhythm in which investment funds such as BC Partners remain in companies for six or seven years, so they might already be out of ownership in United Group next year.
“We offer an agreement that they leave the media sector to those who work in the media, and that we simultaneously try to find additional financiers for that project, since it is a big and demanding job and it is impossible for United Media employees to finance it alone,” says Georgiev.
No communication
He states that he has been employed in the media for several months United Media they did not have any information about the plans of the new United Group management.
“We expected there to be some talk, but it didn’t happen. We saw that Stan Miller, who was appointed as the director of United Group ahead of the largest shareholder BC Partners, was making deals with competition from Telecom. We didn’t get any answers about those conversations either, except that on the United Group portal, in the frequently asked questions (FAQ) section, things were published that we asked them to explain to us, and that’s the way the company communicates with us,” says Georgiev.
“If we are a surplus, it would be ideal if they leave the media sector to us. They hold communications and cloud systems, all that is a different kind of work and technology, so it would be a good solution for both them and us. I believe that there are people who would the Balkans support media projects like ours, because they are highly watched media stations and it would not be throwing money down the drain,” says Georgiev.
TV Nova as a national broadcaster
He adds that TV Nova, if Regulatory body for electronic media start working normally, could be a national broadcaster, and earn much more money on the market.
“They say that we are supposed to be losers. If part of the company is losing, then you probably want to take it off the hump. And in that sense, if the leaders of the United Group think that we are a place where money is lost, there is a real opportunity to round up the portfolio at a level that is only profitable and go on to sell, or whatever they plan to do,” says Georgiev.
He emphasizes that if the management does not want to do that, it should start communicating with people who work in the media.
“This limbo we have been thrown into is not good in any way. It is only good if there is a corrupt deal behind everything, that some people agreed with people from the government to take money and to completely destroy United Group, and then consequently all parts of United Media. If that is the case, then there is no escape for us, but I still believe that this is not the case and that people from BC Partners, which is a fund that manages the money of various groups around the world, especially from America, should not enter into corrupt business”, concludes Georgiev.
Source: Vreme
