Big Brother: Serbia’s Media Are Creating Nation of China Lovers

Close connections with the Serbian political elite and the favourable presentation of China in Serbian media, especially from outlets close to the Serbian government, have made China one of the most popular foreign actors among Serbia's citizens.

Serbia's state-owned media outlets, as well as pro-government private media outlets, are leading the way in this - but the number of China-backed media in Serbia is on the rise as well.

In 2020, Reporters Without Borders' Press Media Freedom Index described the state of media freedom in Serbia as "worrying," putting Serbia in 93rd place out of 180 countries.

One of the major concerns about the state of the media in Serbia is media ownership - the significant presence of the government in the ownership structure of many media, and the influence of the ruling parties generally on both state and private-owned media outlets.

While independent media outlets still exist in Serbia, they are sidelined and often under constant attack from the politicians of the ruling majority. Their outreach is also not as significant as the outreach of media outlets under the strong influence of the state. Mostly they do not have national coverage and are often available only in certain parts of Serbia or via special services, like cable network news channels.

This high level of control over the media has made the media a useful tool for the ruling elite, and helps it to carry out its political goals.

The fostering of relations between Serbia and China, their positive presentation of their joint infrastructural projects, and the nurturing of the image of China as a friendly country and reliable partner have been major aspects of Serbian foreign and domestic policy for a decade; media outreach is a...

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