Other threats to journalists, Veran Matić and other journalists, Belgrade, 29.01.2026.

Translations: Beograd 

On January 29, 2026, content titled “Evil Times 2: The Creation of Propaganda” was broadcast, selectively portraying Veran Matić and other journalists, media professionals, and organizations engaged in public-interest journalism as hidden centers of power and “enemies of the state.” This content, aired on national television channels TV Prva and B92, as well as cable channels such as Informer TV and Dokumentarna TV, raised serious concerns due to its coordinated distribution, which significantly amplified the reach of negative messages targeting individuals and delegitimizing the journalism community as a whole.

The content of this series contributes to an atmosphere of public lynching and increases the risk of threats and pressure against journalists. Among those directly affected are Veran Matić, as well as many other colleagues. In addition to ANEM, those targeted include numerous members and honorary members of NUNS and NDNV (Kruna Savović, Stevan Dojčinović, Dinko Gruhonjić, Ana Lalić Hegediš), as well as many journalists from UMG, Insajder, and other prominent professionals working in the public interest.

Through selective framing and insinuations, the series constructs a narrative that not only attacks individuals but also promotes conspiracy theories that reduce complex social processes to alleged “centers of power.” Such an approach contradicts the fundamental principles of journalism and professional standards, as it equates the work of journalists with unethical and politically malicious motives, thereby creating a dangerous dynamic for media freedom.

This attack is only one in a series of assaults, discrediting efforts, and campaigns directed against journalists, media organizations, and all actors involved in protecting professional standards and developing the media landscape in line with European and international principles. Increasingly, the public sphere is being shaped by a narrative that portrays the work of professional media and civil society organizations as “anti-state,” a dangerous and fundamentally flawed claim that undermines freedom of expression and media freedom.