October 1, 2017
Blackened sites, screens and frontpages of newspapers, temporary breaks in the broadcasting of radio and TV programmes, as well as black profiles on social networks – this was how more than 300 media companies, organisations and individuals warned about the “media darkness” in Serbia last Thursday (28.09).
The explicit occasion for the campaign was provided by the forced closure of weekly Vranjske, but also attacks on KRIK editor Stevan Dojcinovic (see below for details).
The campaign also included citizens who posted black photographs on their social network profiles on that day, stating “This is what it looks like when there’s no free media”.
The campaign resounded far and wide – according to the organiser’s statistics, it was seen on social networks over the course of 24 hours by almost half a million people.
Reports of the campaign were carried by world renowned media outlets, such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, while Prime Minister Ana Brnabic commented on the campaign by insisting that she hasn’t noted any fear among the media when it comes to saying anything about her personally, the Government or the Serbian President.
