Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) sincerely regrets the events in the weekly NIN after the majority of the journalists of this newspaper announced yesterday that they had left the newsroom. This decision was preceded by the departure of the deputy editor Vesna Malisic, and then the editor of the newspaper Milan Culibrk.
IJAS appeals to the owner of NIN, Jelena Drakulic Petrovic, to preserve the credibility that has been built for decades and enable new members of the editorial staff to perform their work in accordance with professional standards and without the influence of politics and business.
When in August last year the publisher of NIN, Ringier, announced that the ownership of this weekly was transfering to the director of the company, Jelena Drakulic Petrovic, the public was worried, as it turned out rightly, that this was a prelude to changes in this newspaper.
According to recent NIN journalists, the new owner announced a change in concept, but did not assure them that they will still be able to do their work as they have done so far – “without compromise and guided exclusively by the imperatives of professional journalism”.
The former deputy editor of the NIN weekly, Vesna Malisic, said that the dissatisfaction of the editorial office was caused by the fact that the owner, from the moment she bought NIN until New Year’s, did not contact the editorial office.
“We worked for five months without knowing how someone bought a newspaper, what was happening there, what kind of changes these were. The director spoke to us before the New Year, she showed us some research that showed that people are more interested in the economy, IT, sports, the region… Therefore, they are not interested in what is the essence of a political weekly, which is to be a political weekly that is critically oriented towards the events in reality, but we expand in areas where there is more marketing, advertising, there is perhaps more money… everything else, and less of what is the essence of the political weekly”, explained Vesna Malisic.
The now former editor of NIN, Milan Culibrk, said yesterday that on February 8, the last issue of this weekly, which will be worked on by the current editorial staff, will be published. He also announced that all those who left NIN will move to a new weekly published by United Media.
IJAS provides support and expresses respect to colleagues who stayed together in difficult moments and showed unity, solidarity and commitment to the journalistic profession.
IJAS expects that the weekly founded by recent NIN journalists will be able to work professionally and unhindered, as before.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
January 11, 2024