ANEM: Nearly 723 million dinars distributed in media tenders by local governments

In Serbia, nearly 723 million dinars have been allocated across 69 local self-governments through co-financing tenders for media content in 2026, according to the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM). The association noted that three municipalities, Surdulica, Vrbas, and Gadžin Han, are still lagging in announcing their tenders for the current year.

An analysis of the first 69 completed media tenders reveals that Radio Television Pančevo received the most significant funding, amounting to almost 30 million dinars. Zona Plus from Niš followed with nearly 28 million dinars, and INI Media, also from Niš, secured 26 million dinars. Several other media outlets, including Televizija Pirot, RTV Novi Pazar, Radio Television Kraljevo, and Ibarske novosti, each received close to 20 million dinars. Radio Television Trstenik and Vision Craft from Niš were each allocated over 15 million dinars.

Looking at ownership structures, publishers of tabloids Alo and Informer, identified by ANEM as repeat offenders of the Serbian Journalists' Code of Ethics, collectively received over 70 million dinars from these tenders. Alo Media System and Insajder Tim, along with their subsidiaries, were the recipients. Insajder Tim received 2.5 million dinars, and Alo Media System received 5.5 million dinars. Their joint subsidiary, Best Media Team, which has acquired several local media outlets in Serbia this year, obtained over 36 million dinars. This funding was distributed among various entities, including TV-5 Užice (10 million dinars), Radio Television Bačka Palanka (9 million dinars), and Konzum lav Čačak (6 million dinars).

INI Media, co-owned by Alo Media System and publishing the unregistered NišTV, received one million dinars for project co-financing in Pirot and a substantial 25 million dinars in Niš. Media houses belonging to Radoica Milosavljević's group have collectively received nearly 60 million dinars for outlets such as RTV Kruševac, TV Pirot, and TV Leskovac. Vladan Stefanović's media companies in Subotica, including VTV and Radio Subotica, have garnered a total of 23.3 million dinars. Additionally, media outlets associated with Aleksandar Vinčić from Šid, such as Sremska S television, have been co-financed with nearly 18 million dinars. Media companies linked to Slavko Stijaković, numbering 14 in total, have received over 13 million dinars.