Adam Santovac, Executive Producer at N1 Serbia Television, has been awarded the annual “Predvodnik” (Leader) award by the Fulbright and Friends Association, which recognizes excellence in advancing the profession.

According to the award citation, Santovac “has consistently demonstrated professionalism and commitment to ethical standards throughout his career, conducting complex investigative projects that have exposed corruption and irregularities across various sectors of society.”

The citation also notes that as N1 Serbia Television’s Executive Producer, Santovac has spent the past year managing a team of over 70 journalists and producers, “working from this position to ensure N1 upholds the highest principles of journalism, which is particularly challenging at a time when journalism is in serious decline.”

The award was presented on November 8th in Belgrade as part of the celebration marking the 60th anniversary of the Fulbright program in the region. In addition to the “Predvodnik” award, seven lifetime achievement awards were presented to distinguished Fulbright scholars: Svetlana Bojkovic, Vida Ognjenovic, Vladimir Kostic, Dragan Domazet, Miroljub Labus, Vukasin Pavlovic, and Tibor Varady.

The awards were presented by Ivan Vujacic, President of the Fulbright and Friends Association, and Radina Vucetic, Association Vice President, with US Ambassador Christopher Hill in attendance.

The “Predvodnik” award recognizes achievements from the past five years, and candidates cannot nominate themselves for consideration.

Adam Santovac is a graduate journalist and holds a Master’s degree in cultural studies. As a Fulbright scholar, he completed his Master’s studies in News and Documentary Program at New York University (NYU) in 2022.