Telekom 'responded to' the pro-regime Niš TV, broadcasting them without permission

This spring has not been easy for Vidosav Radomirović, the owner of a media empire from Niš that has included the Belami radio and television stations, the eponymous portal, and the local Narodne novine for decades.

First, the state operator Telekom abruptly terminated the signal of this television station from its cable platforms in mid-March without any explanation. According to Radomirović, this took away "more than half of the audience" that typically watches them terrestrially, that is, via antenna, since Belami has a permit for local frequency.

The reduction in audience has also affected their number of advertisers and the price of advertising space, Radomirović told Raskrikavanje, but the financial problems do not end there.

In May, he received another unpleasant news - for the first time in ten years, his media outlets did not receive a single dinar from the local competition for project co-financing.

"Brutal tightening of the tap," Radomirović describes the situation.

Although he does not want his TV Belami to be publicly labeled as regime-affiliated, the fact is that it is a media outlet that has never opposed the SNS authorities. Over the years, it has provided significant coverage to local officials, uncritically broadcasting their statements and following their activities, while little could be heard about various local corruption scandals reported by other media outlets like Južne vesti. Vidosav Radomirović does not like to hear all of this.

"We have absolutely never been a regime television station under any regime. Our phones are open to viewers from morning until evening, and anyone can express their opinion," he states, continuing: "Of course, if a certain regime wins, then the people are with that regime, and we always have a slight inclination towards the ruling majority, simply because the people are with them. We work for the people."

Journalism "slightly inclined" towards the ruling majority has paid off for him. The radio, television, and portal Belami have consistently been among the biggest beneficiaries of local co-financing competitions (along with other pro-regime media like TV Zona Plus, owned by the son of Bratislav Gašić). The sums involved are astronomical - at least 1.7 million euros from 2015 to 2024 have been allocated to Belami media for media projects. The amount is even higher when including Narodne novine and Niška televizija, of which Radomirović is a co-owner.

What has changed? Niš journalists with whom we spoke informally, as well as Radomirović himself, believe that Belami has fallen out of favor with the authorities for actively covering protests in recent months and for providing significant media space to the opposition before last year's elections in June, which collectively received more votes than the SNS. In the end, however, the Progressives managed to form a government in the city, but they lost the central city municipality of Medijana, which is governed by the opposition list led by Dragan Milić.

"By covering the student protests, we were just doing our job," states Radomirović. "The authorities did not like that they lost Niš in the elections. They believe we enabled Dragan Milić to win in the Medijana municipality and that we even organized the protest in Niš on March 1."

He clarifies that these are merely his assumptions and does not wish to name anyone from the local government regarding this treatment. "I cannot be angry with Belgrade either," he notes.

He claims he attempted to get answers from Telekom regarding why his channel was abruptly removed from the offer, but they have ignored him despite the still-valid contract.

When asked what the contract specifically stipulates and whether he has the option to sue Telekom, Radomirović vaguely states that he is ready to take some legal steps but still "counts on the understanding of some people."

Telekom did not wish to respond to us either regarding why the signal of Belami television was suddenly turned off from their digital platforms.

Niš TV - an extended arm of the authorities locally

While Belami was removed from the offer without explanation, another channel was added just as abruptly, and without the permission of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media.

This is a new television channel, Niš TV, which is publicly referred to as "Informer’s television," although it has no formal connection to this pro-regime tabloid.

But it does have a connection to another. Behind this television station is the company INI Media, registered in April of this year, whose majority owner (51 percent) is the company Alo Media System, owned by businessman Saša Blagojević, who also owns the pro-regime tabloid Alo and TV Studio B.

The director and minority owner of INI Media (49 percent) is Bojan Avramović, a man well-known in the Niš public. He was formerly the SNS commissioner in the Pantelej city municipality, the director of the Regional Development Agency "Jug," and was also a close associate of the former director of Niš Airport, Vladica Đurđanović.

He is also the director of INI Media and presents himself as the editor of this unregistered television channel where he hosts one of the shows.

The first edition of his show "Don't Bother Me" aired on May 16, the day before the SNS gathering in Niš, and the first guest was the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić. Avramović thanked Vučić at that occasion "for the support he gave to our television."

"Some people who have been in journalism longer than I have, and I am not really much of a journalist, told me that no television station in Serbia has ever had such support. Thank you for that," Avramović said to the President.

In the following days, significant figures from the authorities or close to them appeared: SNS President Miloš Vučević, Minister Nikola Selaković, the Mayor of Niš Dragoslav Pavlović, former Minister Zorana Mihajlović. She was hosted by the presenter Lora Nikolić, who worked as her media advisor during Mihajlović's ministerial term.

In the studio, the editor of Informer Dragan J. Vučićević also made an appearance in the early days. He welcomed the launch of the television station and offered support to the newly minted media colleague.

"When we launched Informer in 2012, everyone told us we had no chance. By 2015, we were the most read daily newspaper in Serbia. I recommend the same to you: work, work, work," Vučićević began. "If there is one thing that remains as the greatest legacy of Aleksandar Vučić's politics, it is convincing us Serbs that we can, that we are capable, and that if you work, there will be results."

Work, it seems, at both Informer and Niš TV, implies propagandistic glorification of the authorities and subservience to officials, while on the flip side, it involves reckoning with opposition members, citizens who support blockades and protests, students, and educators.

In the shows of this television station, lies and slander can be heard daily, such as claims that the professors of the Gymnasium Stevan Sremac were paid to organize blockades, as well as harsh insults and inappropriate tabloid language. For instance, Vučićević and Avramović referred to the former dean of the Faculty of Philosophy Natalija Jovanović as "Grok," and in recent weeks, their target has been professor Dušan Aleksić, whom they described in the Niš TV studio as a "hero with a squeaky voice" and "faceless mass." All because he openly supported the students.

The dirty campaign against him lasted three to four days, Aleksić told Raskrikavanje, "and after that, I didn't even watch it."

"For example, they bring a guest whose identity I do not know. This guest talks about me as if he knows me and presents all sorts of lies in line with the agenda they have envisioned."

He is planning to file a lawsuit for defamation and damage to his reputation.

"I wanted to sue the media, but it is not registered, so legally it does not exist. Therefore, it is a private lawsuit against Bojan Avramović, who presents himself as the director and editor-in-chief," Aleksić states for Raskrikavanje.

He also pointed out the fact that the television operates illegally, yet representatives of the authorities are frequent and welcome guests - instead of condemning the violation of the law, they openly support it. Everything is allowed, Professor Aleksić believes, "as long as it aligns with the wishes of one person."

"Ćaci Television"

The question of the legal basis for cable broadcasting of this channel remains open.

REM informed us that INI Media submitted a request at the end of April for a cable broadcasting license. Their expert services assessed that all documentation is in order and that INI Media "meets the technical, organizational, and programming requirements." Nonetheless, they have still not issued the license - it must be decided by the REM Council, but the mandate of the old assembly has expired, and the new one has yet to be formed.

In other words, they are broadcasting without a license.

REM is also responsible for imposing penalties in such situations, but the regulator cannot do so without a constituted Council.

In this legal vacuum, Telekom found an opportunity to "accommodate" the newly established channel.

"Niš TV informed us that it submitted proper documentation to REM and applied for test broadcasting while awaiting the final decision from REM. Telekom accommodated and signed a contract for broadcasting a test signal that can last up to a year," they state for Raskrikavanje from Telekom.

"If this television is denied a license after the Council of REM is constituted, or if for any reason it does not receive one within a year, Telekom will cease broadcasting this channel," the state company adds, noting that they have previously accommodated similar requests.

When asked to comment on the fact that his Belami channel was removed from Telekom's offer despite a valid contract, while Niš TV, which has no REM license, was added, Vidosav Radomirović responds angrily.

"What is there to comment on? They have done everything to ensure that Informer gets its television (even though Informer is not the formal owner, Niš TV is referred to as 'Informer television' due to its editorial policy), while destroying Belami. They are taking away someone's right to operate," he says.

He does not like the question of whether he thinks the authorities have sidelined him and created another television channel that will serve as a media partner.

"I would not like to be compared to Niš TV. It seems that Ćaci television was created to replace Belami. What were we all these years, Ćaci television?" he asks.

Radomirović, who has been in the media business in Niš since the early nineties, is uncertain about what the future holds for him. He claims he is still waiting for some discussion with Telekom, that he will not change his editorial policy despite the problems it has brought him, and hopes he will find a way to get through the crisis.

"As long as I am in a position to fight, as long as I can pay salaries and fees, we will exist. I will persevere," concludes Radomirović for Raskrikavanje.

Source: Raskrikavanje