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Tenth anniversary of N1: A decade of trust, truth, and dedicated journalism

30th October, 2024

The regional news platform N1 marks 10 years of existence, and thanks to the dedicated work of people in front of and behind the cameras, it has become a symbol of free and independent journalism and integrity.

Through a decade of challenges and changes, N1 has remained true to its core values—professionalism, responsibility, and truth. Our mission has always been clear—to be the voice of the public and provide a platform for accurate and timely information and analyses that allow citizens to make informed decisions.

Our teams of journalists and editors in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia put in tremendous effort daily to maintain independence and ensure the credibility of the news.

“It’s difficult to imagine the media, social, and public space in these four countries without the values of free, independent, and investigative journalism that N1 has established and nurtured over the years. The results they have achieved are motivating, and they will always have the support of United Media as the parent company to be the voice of the people, to continue working as they have so far, providing accurate and reliable information, even in the toughest circumstances. Despite attacks that have become frequent, not only on N1 but on free media in general, they will always have our support to be a bastion of truth when it’s most needed,” United Media director Aleksandra Subotic noted.

“Congratulations to the N1 teams on this important anniversary. A quality and independent news medium is a rarity in the Balkans. Over the past 10 years, N1 has led the way in creating bold, truthful, and inspiring journalism. Kudos to everyone involved in that process,” N1 Editorial Board Advisor and former prominent BBC journalist Peter Horrocks stated.

The decade of trust we have built with our viewers and readers is not only an achievement—it’s also an obligation.

“Ten years of N1 is not just an ordinary anniversary of a media outlet. Everyone who follows our program and reads the news on our web portal knows that our journalists are here to cover topics that matter to their lives. We have always been on the ground when significant events occur, when someone faces injustice, or when someone has a problem that institutions ignore. We have uncovered the backgrounds of major social and political stories and have never feared pressure from those in power. Our journalists have been persistent, dedicated, and brave enough to publish the truth, respecting the principles of professional and responsible journalism. Today, as we look back on the past decade, we are proud of the trust we have gained from the audience, but we’re also aware of the new, major challenges that await us. The era of populism, lies, and spins makes our job far more complicated. This anniversary is a reminder that, together with our viewers and employees, we can overcome any obstacle and that truth and free speech are values we must always defend. In the next decade, N1 will continue to be a pillar of free journalism, supported by those who believe in our mission. We don’t want to squander the trust of the audience because our viewers are the greatest asset we have,” N1 Serbia news director Igor Bozic emphasized.

“There’s no public figure in Croatia that hasn’t been a guest on our show. Or a topic in some of our most-watched stories. We look at the history we have covered over the past ten years, reporting on things and events we could never have imagined. The pandemic, earthquakes, wars, migrations, climate changes, natural disasters, tough cohabitations, election campaigns, and sports achievements are stories that have made us rejoice and cry. Ten years ago, we were faced with many questions and challenges. One of them was whether we are too small a country for the big stories and events that make up the programs of global news channels such as CNN, Sky News, and BBC. I believe these 10 years are an important reminder of how essential journalism is and how it is becoming increasingly important in a world facing ever-growing challenges of unverified information from social networks, fake news, and populism,” N1 Croatia news director Tihomir Ladisic pointed out.

For all of us who are both pioneers and veterans of N1, the tenth anniversary of our media house is an emotional reminder of the professional passion, high expectations, responsibility, and enthusiasm with which we embarked on N1’s media mission, as well as satisfaction that we’ve kept all of that for a full 10 years, strengthening the program content, team, and influence. Early on, the audience in Bosnia and Herzegovina recognized the quality, significance, and N1’s competitive advantage in the media landscape, and the viewership of the television and visits to the N1 portal have only grown over the years. Besides the excellent results that place us among the most popular media in BiH, we are especially pleased, but also obligated, by the trust the public has in N1, which was confirmed by an Ipsos survey showing that N1 is the media that people across BiH trust the most. The audience knows that, for a decade, N1 teams have been on the ground where news is happening—always, everywhere, and live. In N1 programs, which are arenas for diverse opinions, everyone’s voice is heard without censorship. We ask tough questions to everyone and anyone. We will continue to do so, aware of the challenges brought by the digital age and grateful for the opportunity to be the first choice of the public that seeks truthful and credible information in an era of manipulation and populism,” stressed Amir Zukić, N1 Bosnia and Herzegovina news director.

Congratulations on the anniversary also come from the youngest member of the N1 team. “Dear sisters, N1 Serbia, N1 Bosnia and Herzegovina, and N1 Croatia, for ten years you have been proving that the only true path is professional and independent journalism, journalism that encourages society to think about progress and development. Be proud of the path you have traveled and persevere on it, no matter how challenging the circumstances may be. Sincere congratulations on the 10th anniversary of your work, and may you continue forward boldly,” said N1 Slovenia director and editor Katja Seruga.

Marking this anniversary, N1 promises to its viewers and readers that it will continue to stand as a guardian of free journalism in the future.

We are grateful for the trust of our viewers, because without them, this journey would not have been possible.

Take a look at how this decade unfolded through the lenses of our cameras.