Media Freedom in Focus: Serbian independent media under fire from the Vučić government
N1, one of the largest independent broadcasting news outlets still thriving in democratically backsliding Serbia, is facing strong pressure and murky times ahead as the current government, lead by Aleksandar Vučić, is tightening its grip on independent media and the student movement protesting the state of the affairs in the country.
In this episode of Media Freedom in Focus, we talk with Igor Božić, news director of N1 TV Serbia, about how the Vučić government is treating independent outlets like N1 and how the outlet is affairing in these dire times.
Guest: Igor Božić, News Director at N1 TV Serbia
Host and Producer: Jamie Wiseman, Europe Advocacy Officer at International Press Institute (IPI)
Editor: Kasperi Kainulainen, Helsingin Sanomat Foundation Fellow at International Press Institute (IPI)
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This podcast series is part of the MFRR in Focus project sponsored by Media Freedom Rapid Response, which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.
For more in-depth podcast episodes about the state of press freedom in Europe, visit the MFRR website or search MFRR In Focus on your podcasts apps. The MFRR is co-funded by the European Commission.
Other episodes in this series:
MFRR in focus: The state of Poland’s public service media
Press freedom in peril: navigating elections and political turmoil in Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria
Independent journalism in Austria faces a far-right threat
Media Freedom in Focus: Untangling media capture in Greece
MFRR Podcast: The battle over the future of Poland’s politicized public media
Examining press freedom in Moldova after tense election
Media Freedom in Focus: DDoS attacks against Hungarian independent media
29 Oct 2025
Media Freedom in Focus - DDoS attacks against Hungarian independent media
In summer 2025, Hano, the infamous hacker behind the malicious DDoS attacks against multiple Hungarian independent news outlets, International Press Institute and Die Tageszeitung, was caught by the Hungarian authorities.
Now that Hano is facing justice, the Media Freedom in Focus podcast series will review the time of the attacks and the implications that they had for the Hungarian media. With us, the editor-in-chief of Media1, Daniel Szalay, is commenting on the newest developments of the affair and the motive of the attacks.
Guest: Daniel Szalay, Editor-in-Chief, Media1.hu.
Producer, Editor and Host: Kasperi Kainulainen, Helsingin Sanomat Foundation Fellow at the International Press Institute (IPI).
This podcast series is part of the MFRR in Focus project sponsored by Media Freedom Rapid Response, which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.
For more in-depth podcast episodes about the state of press freedom in Europe, visit the MFRR website or search MFRR In Focus on your podcasts apps. The MFRR is co-funded by the European Commission.
Other episodes in this series:
MFRR in focus: The state of Poland’s public service media
Press freedom in peril: navigating elections and political turmoil in Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria
Independent journalism in Austria faces a far-right threat
Media Freedom in Focus: Untangling media capture in Greece
MFRR Podcast: The battle over the future of Poland’s politicized public media
Examining press freedom in Moldova after tense election
9 Oct 2025
Media Freedom in Focus: Examining press freedom in Moldova after tense election
On September 28, Moldovans voted in closely watched parliamentary elections, amidst widespread accusations of Russian interference.
The results were a clear victory for Moldova’s largest pro-European party, PAS. The news came as a relief to many of Moldova’s independent media, who were worried about a possible takeover by pro-Russian forces.
While the worst case scenario was avoided, at least for now, media freedom in the country remains fragile, marked by stark regional differences, and in need of further democratic consolidation.
In this episode of Media Freedom in Focus, we discuss the risks that independent media will continue to face in Moldova, together with Anastasia Nani, the Deputy Director of the Centre for Independent Journalism, a leading Moldovan press freedom organisation.
Guest: Anastasia Nani, Deputy Director of the Centre for Independent Journalism, Moldova.
Producer and Host: Karol Łuczka, Eastern Europe Advocacy Lead at the International Press Institute (IPI).
Editor: Kasperi Kainulainen, Helsingin Sanomat Foundation Fellow at the International Press Institute (IPI).
This podcast series is part of the MFRR in Focus project sponsored by Media Freedom Rapid Response, which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.
For more in-depth podcast episodes about the state of press freedom in Europe, visit the MFRR website or search MFRR In Focus on your podcasts apps. The MFRR is co-funded by the European Commission.
Other episodes in this series:
MFRR in focus: The state of Poland’s public service media
Press freedom in peril: navigating elections and political turmoil in Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria
Independent journalism in Austria faces a far-right threat
Media Freedom in Focus: Untangling media capture in Greece
MFRR Podcast: The battle over the future of Poland’s politicized public media
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