Broadcast of Serbia’s Informer TV banned in Montenegro

Montenegro’s Agency for Audiovisual Media Services (SAMU) has decided to temporarily ban the reception and retransmission of the entire programming of Serbia’s Informer TV across Montenegro’s territory.

The six-month ban was imposed because of the channel’s repeated airing of content that insults the dignity of the Montenegrin people, denies Montenegrin national identity, incites hate speech and discrimination, and offends the dignity of Montenegrin citizens and state institutions.

The decision cites a violation of Article 7, paragraph 1 of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television, which requires that broadcast content respect human dignity and the fundamental rights and freedoms of others, and prohibits material that incites hatred, discrimination, or intolerance.

Key reasons cited by the regulator

The documentary “Referendum – A Story of Invented Freedom” is mentioned as one example among many. It is not an isolated case but part of a broader pattern of problematic content identified on Informer TV.

SAMU initiated proceedings against two Montenegrin broadcasters (TV Adria and TV Prva) for airing the film, which contains elements of hate speech, incitement to national intolerance and discrimination, and attacks on the legitimacy of Montenegrin national identity and the country’s constitutional order.

After monitoring Informer TV over an extended period, the agency identified a systematic editorial pattern across news, political debate, and documentary programs that:

insults Montenegrin citizens based on their national affiliation.
systematically challenges Montenegro’s statehood and national identity.
deepens social and ethnic divisions.

The regulator concluded that this goes beyond legitimate political criticism and constitutes an abuse of freedom of expression.

The content was broadcast during prime-time slots with high viewership, giving it significant influence on public opinion.

SAMU emphasized that, in the sensitive regional context of the Western Balkans – marked by historical tensions and delicate issues of national identity and inter-ethnic relations – media outlets bear a heightened responsibility for professional and social standards.

Previous warnings ignored

The agency had already opened proceedings against Informer TV in February 2026 for similar violations, including hate speech, denial of national identity, and glorification of convicted war criminals. Despite warnings and regulatory measures, the channel continued to air comparable content.

Following the procedures of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television, SAMU first notified the regulatory authority in the broadcaster’s country of origin (Serbia) and gave it an opportunity to act. When no changes occurred, the agency proceeded with the temporary nationwide ban on retransmission.

Excerpts from the controversial documentary

The film “Referendum – A Story of Invented Freedom” includes statements such as:

claims that “the time has come to re-examine the will of the citizens” or to pursue “institutional unification of territories where people see their future together rather than separately.”
assertions about a supposed “largest demographic explosion in Cetinje since World War II” because local families were allegedly protected by Italian soldiers while Montenegrins died on battlefields across Yugoslavia.

Informer TV is a Serbian cable and satellite television channel launched by the owners of the popular tabloid daily newspaper Informer.rs. It operates under the company Insajder Tim d.o.o., whose sole owner and editor-in-chief is Dragan J. Vučićević. The channel blends news, political talk shows, documentaries, entertainment, and reality-style programs. Its style is highly sensationalist and tabloid-oriented. Headlines and coverage often feature dramatic, clickbait-style language.

Both the Informer newspaper and Informer TV is widely regarded as pro-government and closely aligned with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). It frequently attacks political opponents, independent journalists, and civil society activists, promotes government achievements, especially in foreign policy (e.g., partnerships with China and Russia).

Informer is not directly owned or controlled by Russian entities, but it frequently echoes pro-Russian or anti-Western narratives common in parts of the Serbian media landscape (e.g., skepticism toward NATO/EU on certain issues, sympathy for Russian positions on Ukraine, glorification of historical ties). This fits a broader pattern in some pro-government Serbian outlets rather than being overt “Russian propaganda TV.

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Caption: A screenshot of the Informer TV homepage of 25 May 2026. Some of the titles are clearly misleading, like “It started! Russia started an operation against the Baltic States!”