Representatives journalist associations and non-governmental organizations gathered in Belgrade on Thursday to provide support Zoran Kesic, the author of the show "24 minutes", after the decision of the new owners of Nova S television to cancel that satirical program.
The meeting was invited by the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia, the Association of Journalists of Serbia, the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, the Association of Independent Electronic Media and the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina, together with colleagues from the media N1, Nova, Forbes Serbia, Danas and Radar.
The organizers assessed that the case of "24 Minutes" goes beyond the issue of a single show and concerns the space for criticism, freedom of expression and the right of the public not to view the government exclusively from an angle that suits it.
Photo: FoNetRally in support of Zoran Kesic
Journalists suffered numerous defeats
NUNS President Željko Bodrožić said that regardless of media ownership, there is a law, editorial autonomy and a journalistic code. He assessed that journalists and society suffered numerous defeats in the previous period, but that they must no longer accept such a situation.
Bodrožić recalled the cases of shutting down or weakening of media such as B92, Prva and Blic, stating that journalists protested and protested at the time, but that part of society remained silent. According to his opinion, the consequence of this is the fact that most media today have been turned into propaganda platforms, while journalists who want to stick to their profession must refer to laws and public interest.
He rejected the view that the owner of the media can manage it without restrictions. He pointed out that such freedom does not exist when it comes to public service or private media, because professional journalism is protected by European regulations, domestic laws and the code. He cited the right of citizens to timely and truthful information, without propaganda and lies, as a basic public interest.
Bodrožić assessed that journalists are currently fighting for the basic conditions of the profession and called on them to unite, warning that if they are not together now, other forms of free information could be threatened in the future.
Photo: FoNetRally in support of Zoran Kesic
Media close to the authorities produce hatred
The President of the UNS Executive Board, Olivera Kovačević, assessed that a large number of media close to the authorities have the task of producing hatred and labeling a part of society as traitors, mercenaries, terrorists and Ustasha. According to her, a society that encourages obedience instead of professional journalism has no perspective.
Kovačević explained her support for Kesić by the fact that, as she stated, his show was a space for the persecuted, humiliated and dismissed, while satire and humor represented a threat to those who want people to be afraid. She assessed that Kesić gained professional credibility through his work and expressed the expectation that he will find a new place to work.
Actress Ceca Bojković assessed that the fact that the government, as she said, has come to a situation where she cannot even tolerate the show "24 Minutes" speaks of her attitude towards criticism. She recalled that over the years the show had a pronounced humanitarian character.
Bojković estimated that the decision to cancel the show may show the government's insecurity before the elections. She reminded that "24 Minutes" has existed for 13 years and has a large viewership, and questioned whether the government really believes that by canceling the show, it will succeed in stifling free speech and the growing dissatisfaction of citizens.
She expressed her belief that such an attempt will not succeed, with the assessment that Serbia has changed compared to the period when the current government came to power and that citizens today view political and social issues differently.
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