New attacks on United Group media companies

December 31, 2022


After being branded “offenders” to be blamed for the decision of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) to strike, TV N1 and Nova S, both of which are owned by United Group, found themselves targeted by yet another political-media campaign.

MPs of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, and later also Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, once again stated that the media companies of United Group are not Serbian media, but rather Luxembourgish media that pay no taxes in Serbia, or usage fees for music, series and films in Serbia, because they only rebroadcast programming in Serbia. The Prime Minister accused these media outlets of the daily exerting of irresponsible pressure on REM over the issuance of the national frequency. TV Nova S was among the channels applying for the fifth national frequency.

In response, TV N1 told the PM that it operates in accordance with all rules of the journalistic profession, adheres to all applicable regulations and pays all applicable financial obligations, and that critical reporting is not, and must not be, a reason for it to be targeted every time it poses a question that the authorities don’t like.

These media companies were again branded “Luxembourgish” in a one-off broadcast of television station Pink, during which one member of the Serbian Progressive party and two editors of pro-government tabloids insinuated that N1 and Nova S work in collaboration with the Government of Kosovo to jeopardise the security of Serbs in Kosovo.

The two television stations announced that these accusations are completely groundless and represent an attempt to discredit, and brand enemies of the nation, journalists and media outlets that operate within the framework of United Media (part of United Group).