News

The Appeals Commission of the Press Council unanimously assessed today in a session that seven portals violated the Code of Journalists of Serbia with their articles about Veran Matić, the president of the Managing Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), and the Cenzolovka portal.

The Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) announced that it fully supports the proposal of the Working Group for the establishment of a Memorial Center in memory of the victims of the mass murder at the Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School. This initiative was established by a decision of the Government of Serbia regarding the commemoration of the anniversaries of the mass murders at this school, as well as in Dubona and Mali Orašje, to be included in the programming of television and radio media service providers. The aim is to preserve and nurture the memory of this tragedy, so that as a society we can recognize the magnitude of the tragedy that has occurred.

At the SafeJournalists conference "From Facts to Change: The Safety and Position of Journalists in the Western Balkans," held yesterday in Belgrade, the latest findings regarding the status of female journalists in the region were presented. These findings indicate an increase in attacks, a pronounced gender dimension to threats and harassment, as well as weaknesses in institutional protection. Panel participants warned that female journalists face not only threats due to their professional work but also attacks targeting their gender, appearance, and personal and family life, while a significant number of incidents remain unreported due to a lack of trust in institutions and fear of consequences.

In the offices of the Storyteller editorial team, a panel discussion was held yesterday on the deep social divisions that have long been a source of conflict and misunderstanding in Serbia. The conversation also addressed the media landscape, which is dominated by outlets that do not adhere to professional standards and instead contribute to the creation of two opposing sides.

It is clear that the primary responsibility for Serbia's historic drop to 104th place in this year's World Press Freedom Index lies with President Aleksandar Vučić. If ranked solely based on political indicators, Serbia would be in 151st place, says Pavol Salaj, head of the Reporters Without Borders Bureau for the EU and the Balkans.

Serbia has fallen eight places compared to last year on the World Press Freedom Index, announced the organization Reporters Without Borders. Serbia has been experiencing a constant decline on this list in recent years - last year it was ranked 96th, and this year it is at 104th among 180 countries worldwide.

After more than 12 years at N1, during which he played a key role in building this television channel into one of the most reliable and influential newsrooms in the region, Adria News Network (ANN) and Igor Božić have agreed to conclude their professional collaboration.

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) has recommended the formation of a special working subgroup within the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists to draft proposals for amendments to the Criminal Code, aimed at improving the criminal legal protection of journalists. This recommendation was presented yesterday at the Moscow Hotel in the analysis titled "How to Achieve Better Legal Protection for Journalists and Media Workers - What Do We Have in the Criminal Code, and What Do We Need?"

The magazine Lice Ulice has published Guidelines for Ethical Reporting, focusing on the principles of responsible journalism and experiences from the field titled "How We Report on Homelessness and Poverty."