N1 TV has been under pressure from the Serbian authorities since it started broadcasting in 2014, primarily by President Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
The pressure culminated with the targeting of journalists from N1 and other media outlets owned by United Media. The targeting changed with time from calling N1 a CIA TV station to the common name Tycoon Media to the latest incarnation of (Kosovo Prime Minister Albin) Kurti’s Media.
Foreign capital is usually welcome in Serbia with the government prepared to give away lots of money but not if it’s about a TV station providing objective reporting to the public. “CIA, American TV based in Luxembourg,” former Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic used to say, adding American TV with American capital. He also mentioned retired US General Petreus as one of the owners.
N1 asked President Vucic if he was prepared to accept responsibility if something happens to anyone from the targeted media and he replied: “Something happen to someone because they work for the Luxembourg TV with American capital?”
When the fund that Petreus worked for left, the way United Media journalists were targeted changed. SNS MP Biljana Pantic Pilja said that the “independent media, N1 and Nova S – the anti-Serb media can be described in a single sentence: Domestic traitor, foreign mercenary (a phrase dating back to the 1990s which was used to denote anyone opposed to the authorities’ nationalist policies).
The loudest targeting has come from Prime Minister Ana Brnabic: “The problem is that you have certain opposition tycoon, Solak (Dragan, founder and co-owner of United Group) media to be precise.”
The latest evolution of the targeting came with the latest crisis in Kosovo. The media that did not hide information were declared to be Kurti’s. Said Vucic: “Look at what Kurti’s media and Kurti are doing, exactly the same as N1, Nova S, Danas”. He even told those media where they should go: “Let them go to Pristina… it would be nice for them with Kurti.”
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) President Zeljko Bodrozic warned of the danger. “When the president targets journalists the regime sees as unsuitable, that is highly dangerous”.
Both Serbian national journalists associations have warned repreatedly that labeling some media is impermissible and called public officials to stop.