United Group new leadership fends off accusations that it surrendered to Serbia’s Vučić

United Media, a subsidiary of Luxembourg-based United Group, operates key independent broadcasters in Serbia, including N1 and Nova TV (Nova S), known for their critical coverage of President Aleksandar Vučić’s government. On Thursday (18 September) United Group vehemently has faced allegations that the company’s new ownership, led by BC Partners since their 2022 acquisition, is undermining the press freedom championed under founder Dragan Šolak.

For many years, United Media has operated N1 and Nova as some of Serbia’s few independent outlets unafraid to criticize Vučić’s regime. Amid Serbia’s democratic backsliding, characterized by media capture and suppression of dissent, United Group has faced relentless pressure from authorities, including regulatory hurdles, smear campaigns, and accusations of foreign interference.

A leaked audio recording, obtained by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Serbian investigative outlet KRIK in late August 2025, has ignited fierce accusations against United Group’s new leadership, particularly CEO Stan Miller, appointed in June by majority shareholder BC Partners. The recording captures a conversation between Miller and Vladimir Lučić, CEO of state-owned Telekom Srbija and a close ally of Vučić, discussing strategies to oust Aleksandra Subotić, executive director of United Media – the subsidiary overseeing independent broadcasters N1 and Nova S. In the exchange, Lučić relays Vučić’s explicit demand for Subotić’s removal, citing her staunch defence of editorial independence amid nine months of anti-government protests extensively covered by N1.

In the recording, Miller reportedly agrees. Critics, including media watchdogs like ARTICLE 19 and the Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium, decry the talks as a blatant capitulation to governmental pressure, threatening to dismantle one of Serbia’s last bastions of uncensored journalism and exacerbating fears of authoritarian encroachment on press freedom. United Group confirmed the recording’s authenticity but dismissed the interpretations as misleading, insisting the discussions pertained to internal restructuring, not editorial meddling, while reaffirming its commitment to non-interference in newsrooms.

In a press release, United Group firmly rejects claims that it seeks to compromise the editorial independence of its Serbian news channels, N1 and Nova, or sell them to Telekom Srbija or state-linked entities. The company emphasises its commitment to maintaining a strict separation between commercial management and editorial decision-making, ensuring that editorial choices are made solely by the newsrooms. United Group’s current management and majority shareholder, BC Partners, assert that editorial independence is non-negotiable and has not been influenced by political or external pressures.

Indeed, recent reporting by N1 and Nova appear to demonstrate their continued independence.

To further safeguard this independence, United Group says it is developing measures such as strengthened editorial charters, non-interference covenants, channel-level oversight, and an external ombudsperson function, with support from two international advisers engaged in July.

The company says it is focused on operational discipline, value creation, and ethical governance across its portfolio, with no plans to sell its news assets to state-linked entities.

United Group hits back at the company’s founder and minority shareholder, Dragan Šolak, and his associate Vladislav Ratajac. According to the company’s new leadership, in January 2025, they proposed to Telekom Srbija a €120 million deal to remove N1 and Nova from Serbian television, transitioning them to internet-only platforms, or to sell these assets to a third party.

Šolak also allegedly demanded a €200 million bonus for facilitating the sale of United Group’s Serbian businesses. These proposals, which were not disclosed to N1 and Nova’s editorial staff, were rejected by the current management, which distances itself from these actions and denies pursuing similar strategies.

United Group is also addressing concerns about Aleksandra Subotić, a non-editorial staff member, in line with its policies. The company accuses Šolak and Ratajac of spreading misleading narratives to advance personal agendas, potentially linked to an ongoing shareholder dispute. The company calls for clarity on who benefits from these false narratives and reaffirms its commitment to independent journalism and robust governance.

The evidence presents a mixed picture. The leaked conversations, asset sales, and leadership shake-up under BC Partners raise legitimate concerns about United Media’s commitment to press freedom, particularly given Serbia’s hostile media environment and Telekom Srbija’s state-backed influence.

However, United Group’s firm denials, the lack of evidence of direct editorial interference, and the lack of a finalized sale to state entities provide counterarguments. The company’s operations remain under intense scrutiny, and N1 and Nova TV continue to report freely as of now.

The situation remains fluid, and ongoing scrutiny of United Group’s decisions is warranted to assess whether these concerns materialize into tangible threats to N1 and Nova TV’s autonomy.

Caption: Serbian diaspora organised a demonstration in front of United Group (UG) headquarters in Amsterdam to show support for N1 and other media outlets operating under United Media (UM). Source: N1