The media concentration in Serbia is extremely strong, and most influential outlets are under direct or indirect control of the ruling party. (1) High-circulation tabloids and TV stations with national coverage often use open propaganda in favor of the government, without resistance from spreading hate speech, disinformation and nationalist discourse. Institutions that are supposed to protect the integrity of the media space, primarily the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM), are very weak, influenced by the ruling party. Budget funds distributed for media projects are mainly channeled to pro-government media outlets.

Citizens who want to be informed do have access to various sources of information, including features from opposition parties and investigative journalism. The media scene is however very polarized and divided between pro-governmental and opposition editorial policies. This is visible in the printed media scene and, to a larger extent, in electronic media outlets: two cable-operators, SBB and Telecom, are in open competition for the market and promote distinct editorial policies.

Several independent media outlets (CINS, BIRN, KRIK, Pištaljka) are committed to investigative journalism, primarily in the field of corruption and crime, and their work is primarily funded by readers and foreign donors. Their audience is however quite marginal compared to mass media viewers.

Freedom of speech is guaranteed by the Constitution of Serbia, but in reality it is violated in several ways: by the threat of lawsuits or criminal charges against journalists for other offenses, lack of transparency in media ownership, editorial pressure from politicians and politically connected media owners, direct pressure and threats against journalists (2). The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) counted 32 physical assaults and 157 cases of pressure on journalists during 2020 (3).

The level of media literacy in Serbia is very low (4), despite efforts to introduce media literacy in formal education. According to several IPSOS surveys, the percentage of citizens in Serbia who stated that they mainly or completely trust the media only slightly exceeds the percentage of surveyed citizens who say they do not trust the media. Traditionally, television stands out as the medium with the highest percentage of trust. (5)