The heads of United Group media outlets in Serbia told N1 that the decision to appoint a new management seems to be the implementation of a plan discussed by the CEOs of United Group and the state-controlled Telekom Serbia.
UG CEO Stan Miller and Telekom CEO Vladimir Lucic were recorded discussing management changes in United Media which owns and operates N1, Nova S, Danas, Radar and other independent media outlets.
Speaking live on N1, the station’s Program Director Igor Bozic said he thinks that the reorganization of those media outlets is the implementation of a plan discussed between Vladimir Lucic and Stan Miller, because United Media CEO Aleksandra Subotic has been removed from her position.
Nova TV News Director Slobodan Georgiev said that Subotic was obviously the target. Both said that if the new management wants editorial independence, it should defend its media outlets from attack by what they called “various powerful figures,” and also clarify the budgets.
“We were told today that additional editorial independence will be ensured, and I welcome that. I urge the people who have been appointed to come and meet all of us and hear what journalists and editors have to say. I think that is the key point. If they want to ensure our editorial independence, they should clearly state that they will defend their media and journalists, who are constantly under attack from various powerful figures in this region,” Georgiev said.
United Group announced today that it is introducing a new system of corporate governance for its news programs, which, as it emphasizes, confirms its commitment to preserving editorial independence and protecting journalistic freedoms. If this is true, Georgiev points out, then they should also disclose what the budgets will be, because “the companies within UM truly did heroic work in a difficult environment where they could not compete fairly in the market.”
Asked whether this means the implementation of their plan, Bozic said it does.
“It seems to me that this is indeed the implementation of the plan. One of the consequences is that Aleksandra Subotic has been removed from her position. That is what we have been saying from the beginning — that this reorganization would lead to a situation where N1 and other media outlets that were part of UM would be separated and their fate could later be more easily decided. Another key issue is the claim by regime supporters that the company was sold so what more do we want which is not true. The media outlets have not been sold; they are still part of UG, owned by BC Partners. They were not sold today either — a new management has simply been appointed to consolidate these media outlets,” Bozic said.
Georgiev said that Aleksandra Subotic was clearly the target.
“Aleksandra Subotic was obviously the target and needed to be removed. She did not influence editorial policy, despite the spin that was spread. The people who work here have their own professional biographies, and I hope that Sadler will act in line with the ethical norms of journalism. If the people coming understand journalism, we will easily reach an understanding. If they have stopped being journalists, then we will have problems. But I think those who have now arrived will have even more problems,” he explained.
The Nova TV news director said that all the reports turned out to be true and recalled that they had previously reported on Sadler’s influence in companies that own N1.
Bozic said that he had spoken with Sadler as well.
“We have seen sweet-sounding messages; we will see whether they will be fulfilled. I received a call from Sadler reminding me that we started working together on the project and that we are now continuing. Time will show which direction things will take. But as long as we are all here, the only way we know how to work is independently, without influence or pressure. External pressures have not affected us before, and they will not now either,” he added.
He said that Sadler told him that “there will be discussions about the future, but for now everything remains the same, and no one will interfere in daily editorial issues.”
Nova.rs portal editor in chief and director of Radar weekly Mihailo Jovicevic, said that he knows nothing at present and added that time will show what can be expected from this management. “I spoke with . Sadler about two hours ago, and he drew my attention to the changes in United Group. I drew his attention to questions he must answer — primarily regarding his ties to the regime. We have written about that, and he is aware of it and said he would address it,” Jovicevic said, adding that Sadler told him he does not plan any layoffs or dismissals at this time.
Asked whether the biographies of members of the board and council of the newly established United Group company raise suspicion, Jovicevic said that the very name of Sheikh Bin Zayed “sets off alarm bells.” “We know the political connections between Bin Zayed and President Vucic. We know how the Belgrade Waterfront project was created and we know about their relationship. I was somewhat surprised that the connection between him, Vucic, and everything he has been saying in recent months and years — namely, taking some kind of control over United Media — was shown so blatantly. I cannot guarantee that this will happen, but when someone outlines it for you, if it looks like that — then it is that,” Jovicevic said.
He said the current situation has caused concern for himself and his staff, but that it remains to be seen what will happen in the coming period. “I am open to any kind of cooperation that does not undermine the fundamental principles of Nova.rs, which are free reporting and a critical stance toward the anomalies in the society we live in,” Jovicevic said.
Danas daily editor in chief Dragoljub Petrovic said that Subotic’s removal indicates that the Miller-Lucic plan to reduce the importance of United Group media outlets is being implemented adding that United Media no longer exists following the launch of the new company Adria News Network (ANN).
“Vucic demanded her removal — I’m paraphrasing, but that is the essence — that she be removed, and that the directors and editors of N1 and Nova would not yet be replaced, which leaves open three points suggesting they still might,” he said. Commenting the new management, Petrovic said he expected the names of people more familiar with the specific media situation in the region — especially in Serbia. “How much do all these people understand what the situation in Serbia is like, and how much do they care about changing it — that concerns me. These are professionals who have been successful in their media and journalistic careers, but what do they know about the conditions we work in,” he said.
Petrovic said the public has cause for concern, especially given the attitude of the state leadership toward independent media. “In a country where the state’s attitude toward our media is, to say the least, hostile, of course people should be worried. Over the past year, since SBB was sold, we have had various indications that something could happen to those media outlets,” he said.
Petrovic added that the people leading these media outlets have many years of journalistic and editorial experience and know how to correct things. “Whether by creating another media outlet, because we did not want to work under certain conditions where someone dictates what we should publish — all the people leading these media outlets are principled and simply will not do anything that goes against the rules of our profession. We will not be anyone’s servants; we will not soften our position,” Petrovic said.
Source: N1
