More and more media in the Balkan region are being acquired and controlled by big tycoons. For journalists and industry experts, this trend is heavily reflected in editorial policies, creating growing problems of censorship and self-censorship
The increasing number of media outlets in the Western Balkan region may contribute to media pluralism. However, the number of businessmen acquiring ownership of media organisations and corporations has also risen. But how does this affect editorial policies and the integrity of information?
Almost a decade ago, Jetmir Olldashi, a journalist from Albania, along with his team, lost their jobs at Vizion Plus, a TV channel owned by Genc Dulaku, also a co-owner of Concord Investment, a construction company, and Albanian Satellite Communications.
Olldashi’s team was investigating a case in which a 16-year-old boy, Ardit Gjoklaj, lost his life while working in the black market at a landfill co-managed by the Municipality of Tirana and a company called 3r.
Olldashi’s team was informed that they could not air this story at Vizion Plus, so they decided to resign and share it on social media. Subsequently, the story was covered by other local media, but not by Vizion Plus. “We were given no explanation why the story was not aired, but we understood it was a matter of business connections,” says Olldashi.
Contacted by us, the owner, Genc Dulaku, denies the claims, adding that journalists are slandering businesses.“Journalists should learn to take responsibility for their accusations, as they can cause damage to companies and individuals. I did not stop the investigation, but its content was inaccurate,” Dulaku said.
However, the story was covered by other local media outlets. The owner of the “3r” company, Edurim Teqja, declined to comment.
This was not an isolated case of business censorship of media content in Albania. Isa Myzyraj, head of the Journalists’ Association in Albania, stated that the media market in Albania remains heavily influenced by large businesses and their agendas. “Censorship and self-censorship are the norm. Government and business often work together to silence the media,” he added.
A similar situation characterises other countries in the region. Another part of this investigation reveals direct interventions by business owners in editorial policy and media content in Kosovo’s mainstream media.
Former employees and others currently working at some of Kosovo’s most prominent media outlets, such as Klan Kosova, owned by the Devolli Group, ATV, owned by the Tafa brothers, TV1, partly owned by Dernjani brothers, and Dukagjini TV, partly owned by Ekrem Lluka, all large businessmen, have provided anonymous information shedding light on the control and censorship exercised by media owners. (link here)
Xhemail Rexha, the chair of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), states that businessmen own mainstream media, which may create a dependency on editorial policies dictated by these businesses, potentially leading to censorship of specific topics. “It is up to journalists to decide whether to remain at one media outlet or change workplaces”, he says.
There is a growing influence of oligarchs as media owners across the Balkans, says Ricardo Gutierrez, General Secretary of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Europe’s largest journalists’ organisation.
He stressed the importance of fighting for journalistic independence and the autonomy of newsrooms.
“Newsrooms must have editorial autonomy, even from their owners. Unfortunately, this is not always the case,” he said. “The greatest challenge many journalists in the region face is censorship or self-censorship.”
In Serbia, media ownership is largely opaque, and oligarchs and their media outlets are often closely connected to the government, says Jelena Petković, a board member of Serbia’s Journalists’ Association and a current member of the Serbian Press Council Complaints Commission.
Serbian media is dominated by individuals who, with state backing, have become wealthy and influential media owners. These figures have successfully acquired some of the country’s leading television and print outlets, such as Happy and Pink TV,” says Petković.
We contacted Pink TV owner Zeljko Mitrović, who declined to comment. Happy TV responded, denying any censorship or editorial pressure at Happy TV regarding the reporting of any topics.
According to them, the principles of professional journalism, freedom of expression and responsibility to the public have always guided their editorial policy. “All journalists have full freedom in their work and have never been prevented from publishing stories they consider essential to the public”.
Petković acknowledged that, while big companies that own media significantly impact the media market, the focus and concerns were raised primarily in response to government pressure on the media. “For a long time, we paid little attention to the media owners, the oligarchs,” she concludes.
Anida Sokol, a researcher at Mediacentar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, agrees with this conclusion. “We are focused on political influence and pressure on the media. However, the issue of business or oligarchic influence has not been researched as thoroughly and remains largely unexplored,” says Sokol.
She explains that journalists often cannot report on issues that intersect with the interests of their media owners. “Most media owners have other business interests, so journalists are discouraged or outright prohibited from reporting critically on large sectors of the business world or government,” she said.
Such limitations also affect journalists’ working conditions, and it is often difficult for them to find alternative employment. Sokol raises concerns that “this further limits their ability to speak out or act independently.”
Elsewhere in the region, cases differ, but the media environment remains the same.
Marijana Camović Veličković, vice president of the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro, pointed out that there are undeniable facts showing journalists frequently report instances of censorship and prohibited topics, particularly in the business sphere, where the strictest restrictions apply.“Journalists in Montenegro, particularly those working for mainstream media outlets, face both censorship and self-censorship,” says Camovic-Veličković.
Above all, there are ‘untouchable areas’, topics journalists cannot report on due to business and political interests, she adds. “There is no doubt that the oligarchic model of media ownership is expanding and becoming more entrenched. Under the current circumstances, it cannot be easily challenged,” she ends.
In North Macedonia, the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) regularly receives complaints from journalists and editors about editorial interference.
The executive director of AJM, Dragan Sekulovski, states that “these complaints range from direct censorship to indirect pressure from owners who seek to shape narratives in line with political or business interests. Many journalists report instances where they are advised to avoid certain topics, adjust critical reporting, or promote favourable coverage of specific individuals or organisations.”
In documented cases by AJM, journalists and editors have been dismissed or pressured to resign due to editorial disagreements with media owners. While some cases have become public, others remain undisclosed due to confidentiality agreements or fears of professional repercussions.
AJM has actively supported affected journalists through legal assistance and public advocacy, emphasising the need for stronger protections for editorial independence and labor rights within the media sector.
Aleksandar Manasiev, an experienced investigative journalist in North Macedonia, has recently prepared ethical guidelines for journalists. He states that there is insufficient legal protection to ensure media independence from the influence of owners.
“While regulatory frameworks for media ownership transparency exist, they are not always enforced, allowing influential business and political figures to control multiple media outlets covertly,” he concludes.
Economic dependency on business owners forces journalists and editors to follow the owners’ agenda, stresses Gutierrez, adding that self-regulation could help protect journalists from pressure, including internal pressure from within the newsrooms.
Guterres warned that while journalists are pressured into self-censorship, combating this trend does not always require direct pressure. “It is worrying that this issue is widespread across all Balkan countries, as journalists often feel unable to come forward and speak out about their experiences,” he ends.