A delegation from United Media, led by CEO Aleksandra Subotić, took part in the CNN International Commercial Affiliates Summit held in London — a dynamic forum that brought together top executives from CNN’s global partner network.

For United Media, the summit provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on and further develop its business models and long-term strategies in line with rapid changes in the global media landscape. “The CNN Affiliate Summit was an excellent opportunity to hear fresh ideas and explore how the world’s top news organizations are rethinking their strategies,” said Aleksandra Subotić, CEO of United Media. “For us at United Media, this was not only a chance to exchange perspectives, but also to reaffirm our commitment to continuously evolving our business models and editorial strategies.

Key questions around trust, sustainability, and innovation were at the heart of the discussion — from how to build communities through mobile-first and social content, to how to engage audiences with immersive storytelling, while staying transparent and credible. These are the same questions we ask ourselves daily at United Media.

“We recognized early on the growing influence of social media and the fact that a rising number of young people now rely on those platforms as their primary news source. In response, we’ve built dedicated ‘social hubs’ — teams of young professionals focused on adapting and distributing news content across digital and social channels. These teams are helping us stay agile, relevant, and deeply connected to the next generation of viewers,” said Subotic, adding that this strategy has, in just two months, resulted in over 10 million TikTok views, 50 times more Instagram followers, and a 10-fold increase in engagement.

United Media’s participation in the summit underscores its long-standing partnership with CNN, which began 11 years ago with the launch of N1 in 2014. Today, N1 remains the leading regional news platform in the Western Balkans and the exclusive CNN affiliate for the region—committed to delivering trusted, independent journalism to millions of viewers.

In addition to United Media CEO Aleksandra Subotić, the summit was attended by Adam Santovac, Executive Producer at N1 Serbia; Vyara Ankova, COO of Nova Broadcasting Group; and Marta Evtimova, Chief Producer of News and Current Affairs at Nova Broadcasting Group.

The event was opened by CNN Chairman & CEO Mark Thompson in conversation with Phil Nelson of CNN International Commercial. Sessions featured Amanda Rottier, Rob Bradley, and Faisal Karmali on digital product strategies and monetization, Tini Sevak on the shifting expectations of news consumers, Helen Collerton on branded content, and Nic Newman on major trends across the media landscape. A standout editorial panel included CNN’s Isa Soares, Clarissa Ward, and Nic Robertson, who shared firsthand perspectives from the front lines of international reporting.