Serbia’s Media Under Attack, Says Report
The country’s government is cracking down on the media, according to a new report by Freedom House. The organization says that Serbia has become less free since 2019.
Journalists in Serbia face threats and intimidation. Some have been arrested or faced unfair lawsuits. Investigative journalists are also targeted with smear campaigns and tax inspections.
The government controls who can be a journalist and what media outlets can operate. This helps pro-government outlets to dominate the market.
There is also a lack of transparency about who owns the media outlets. The government indirectly funds some of them, which gives them an advantage over independent ones. This means that positive coverage of the ruling party gets more airtime than critical voices.
The report says that all this manipulation creates an environment where only pro-government voices are heard, especially around election time. Critical journalists and media outlets are becoming fewer and quieter.
