United Group: No media sales or layoffs

“There is nothing to say about the potential plans for sale.” This is how United Group responds to DW's question about whether the changes in the corporation are a prelude to the sale of media from the former Yugoslavia, including the N1 and Nova S television stations.

The group has recently brought Adria News Network (ANN) under its umbrella, incorporating all these media outlets that were previously managed by United Media, its other subsidiary.

A new editorial board has been established over the media, headed by Brent Sadler (75), and there is also a new board of directors. Several sources within DW, among editors and journalists, have expressed concern that this is a precursor to editorial dismissals or the “alignment” of critical media content in Serbia.

United Group dismisses all of this, stating that the goal is to protect independent reporting. They did not specifically respond to the question of why they ignored the offer from employees at N1 and Nova S to “buy” the media with the support of unnamed partners.

No layoffs?

When asked what changes viewers and readers can expect – because what is the point of restructuring if everything in the program remains the same? – United Group asserts: “Editors will continue to have authority over content and make daily editorial decisions.”

The entire idea, they say, is to create a platform for independent journalism in the Balkans, and “not to reduce the number of employees or costs.”

The executive news editor, which is Sadler's official role, “exists to protect editorial independence throughout the organization and ensure a balanced and fair product that meets journalistic standards.”

They state that the establishment of ANN fulfills a promise made last July that the editorial operations would be put on “completely independent feet.” This decision, they add, was supported by the majority owner, the investment fund BC Partners.

It is already known that the minority owner, Dragan Šolak, who has been removed from management positions, did not support the restructuring and the sell-off of parts of the group.

The new media framework, they claim at United Group, is “designed to ensure that there are no inappropriate influences from the authorities, political players, shareholders, or the management of United Group.”

Quiet fire for journalists

As DW reported recently, editors and journalists from N1, Nova S, the daily Danas, and the weekly Radar are not entirely convinced that a renaissance of independent journalism awaits them.

Several sources within those media outlets tell DW that the entire operation has taken too long and cost too much for everything to remain the same.

Rade Veljanovski, a retired professor from the Faculty of Political Sciences, shares a similar sentiment. “It seems to me that a final reckoning is being prepared in which the authorities would completely suppress the possibility of independent journalism,” he told DW.

A worm of doubt crept in a year ago, when United Group sold the cable operator SBB and sold the rights to sports broadcasts to the Serbian state Telekom.

Journalist safety a “priority”

United Group, however, rejects any claims that there have been or will be any agreements with the Serbian authorities, while regarding a secretly recorded phone conversation between its CEO Sten Miler and the head of Telekom, Vladimir Lučić, as “unauthorized and illegal” recording and “taken out of context.”

When asked about the frequent harassments and threats faced by journalists from N1 and other media outlets – with perpetrators being from the government or media close to it – United Group states that the safety of journalists is a priority, and they must work without intimidation, pressure, or threats.

They assert that ANN will take “all necessary steps” to protect its journalists. They did not specify what those steps would entail.

Source: DW