Media, journalists (BETAPHOTO/NEVENA ZARIC)
The developments in Adria News Network (ANN) since it was taken over by Alpac Capital owner Pedro Vargas David come across as “the plot of a bad thriller,” Pavol Szalai, the director of the Reporters Without Borders (RFS) Prague office, stated on Oct. 12.
Speaking for the Nova daily – which, along with N1, Danas, Radar and Forbes, is owned by ANN – Szalai opined that the above is the sad reality in Serbia, which has ranked 104th, i.e. last in Europe, on the RFS Media Freedom Index for lacking institutions for regulating media and protecting competition.
“This is Serbia, where media freedom has become the prey of [former president] Aleksandar Vucic’s media freedom predators,” Szalai said.
Asked what he would tell ANN’s new owner, Vargas David, Szalai replied that no political influence, no matter how great, nor money, no matter how immense, can buy trust, which is the key resource in doing business in the field of media.
To get full access to all content of interest see our
Subscription offer
Or
Register for free
And read up to 5 articles each month.
Already have an account? Please Log in.