ANEM ALARM: Unacceptable and dangerous targeting of media and non-governmental organizations on Lav Plus television.

In the "Raport" program of this Čačak television station, which was recently purchased by Best Media Team, a subsidiary of the tabloid publishers Alo and Informer, host Dejan Vukelić and his guest Vukša Dragović dedicated an hour to a campaign discrediting local media and non-governmental organizations funded by international donations. The target of this television station was Stojan Marković, owner and editor of the local media OzonPress, as well as local journalist Nebojša Jovanović, Mileva Malešić from the Women’s Forum of Prijepolje, Verica Marinčić from IN Media, N1 journalist Danica Vučenić, and media and organizations such as Lokal Pres, ANEM, NUNS, BIRN, CRTA, CEMA from Čačak, the Trag Foundation, the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, among others.

In the Lav Plus program, financial reports of certain media outlets were read, linking them to the so-called "colored revolution" and the organization of student protests. Accusations were heard claiming that "Veran Matić has been working against the state for 30 years," that "BIRN is a classic front for a foreign agency," as well as that they all work against family values, to change the cultural code of Serbia, its traditions, and to revise history.

ANEM assesses that this is a very dangerous campaign being waged against media that report critically and professionally on the state of society and the state, which can have serious consequences for the safety of media representatives, especially in smaller communities.

We remind that local media have been operating under difficult conditions in recent years – financially and under constant pressures, threats, and attacks, but despite everything, they do not give up on informing citizens about issues of public interest and in accordance with professional and ethical journalism standards.

We also emphasize that this Čačak television station has received 17.5 million dinars in project co-financing for media content this year from previous competitions, while Alo and Informer, along with all their subsidiaries, have been supported by the state in the amount of over 185 million dinars.

"It is unacceptable and very dangerous to label everyone who, through their legitimate work in the public interest, criticizes phenomena in the state and society in this way. I remind you that this is the fundamental role of media and journalism in democratic societies, but it is clear that certain interest and political groups do not want to hear voices in Serbia that point to corruption and violations of laws and human rights in the country. All of this further endangers the safety of journalists and the survival of local media, which are important for the community. It is particularly problematic that such programs and such rhetoric are broadcast on media whose content is co-financed by local governments and the state in millions of dinars," stated Veran Matić, president of the ANEM Board and member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists.

ANEM calls on media, institutions, and the public to stop targeting female journalists, as the public space must not be a space of intimidation, misogyny, and lynching. Such labeling and incendiary rhetoric can have serious consequences for the safety of female media representatives, and we appeal to the relevant Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, other state institutions, and officials to condemn such media behavior and show that lynching against dissenters and journalists is unacceptable in a democratic public space.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project "Improvement of the prevention and response mechanism in cases of threats to the safety and life of female and male journalists in Serbia" is implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insider TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union.