'I Have the Impression Viewers Have Accepted Me for Now, and I'm Confident They Will Accept Me Even More Over Time'

After nearly a quarter-century dedicated to sports journalism, Stipe Sladoljev has taken on a new role as the anchor of Dnevnik Nove TV, the country's most-watched news program. This significant career shift follows the departure of the previous anchor, Petar Pereža, who moved to RTL.

For Sladoljev, who has been a prominent figure at Nova TV since its inception, this transition is seen as a natural evolution. He first learned about the possibility of taking on this role about 18 months ago, though discussions were initially informal. A concrete offer and decision were made in late April, representing a joint choice between Sladoljev and his superiors.

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Ana-Marija, Anita, Saša, Vlado, Stipe, Ivan, Marko i Josip s godinama su mi postali druga obitelj. Naše zajedničko radno mjesto postalo je takvo da ja na posao dolazim pjevajući, a sad odjednom, više nisam dio te priče. Jako će mi nedostajati taj osjećaj.

"On one hand, it was emotionally charged because I love sports journalism so much, but on the other hand, it was easy and logical because I am interested in all sorts of things in life and have always enjoyed informing about all aspects of our wonderful, yet complicated world," Sladoljev stated. He admitted that while the decision was clear and logical, leaving his beloved sports team was difficult.

Preparation for his debut involved approximately three weeks of intensive work, including camera rehearsals with colleagues and sessions with a phonetician and communication specialist. Sladoljev highlighted the immense support he received from his colleagues across various departments at Nova TV, as well as the unwavering support of his family. He described the initial moments before going live as a rollercoaster of emotions, ranging from minimal to significant nervousness, ultimately settling into a comfortable state.

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Što se mene tiče i moje odluke, bila je s jedne strane emotivno nabijena jer jako volim sportsko novinarstvo, ali s druge strane laka i logična, jer me u životu zanima baš svašta i oduvijek uživam u informiranju o svim aspektima našeg divnog, ali i kompliciranog svijeta.