| Type | Internet media |
|---|---|
| Format | Electronic newspaper |
| Owner | E-NOVINE D.o.o. Beograd |
| Editor | Petar Luković |
| Founded | November 2007 |
| Headquarters | Hadži Prodanova 15, Belgrade, Serbia |
| Official website | www.e-novine.com |
E-novine is a web portal that covers events in the Balkan countries that formerly used to be parts of SFR Yugoslavia.
Stationed in Belgrade with Petar Luković as editor-in-chief, E-novine publishes commentary and news in Serbo-Croatian-Bosnian language with the emphasis on critical, anti-war and anti-nationalist content. It is also known for its willingness to print defamatory and controversial stories in the vein of UK's Private Eye or Canada's Frank.
There are three libel law suits pending against E-novine, two filed by Emir Kusturica and one by Stojan Drčelić.
Contents |
Serbian journalist Petar Luković is the editor-in-chief of this media portal. Branislav Jelić is its Director. Editorial office drew together a dozen of junior editors and journalists from Belgrade, in addition to whom many authors from the region are contributing to E-novine, such as Emir Imamović, Andrej Nikolaidis, Filip David, Mirko Kovač, Vladimir Arsenić, Nenad Veličković, Dženana Karabegović, Ljubomir Živkov and many others. The portal reunited the former staff of Feral Tribune from Split: Heni Erceg, Viktor Ivančić, Boris Dežulović and Predrag Lucić.[1]
E-novine articles employ a subjective writing style, with elements of gonzo journalism, and are abundant in quotations, sarcasm, satire and profanity. E-novine's editorial policy is not aimed at objective and global journalism; it mostly publishes critiques and opinion pieces that scrutinize the day-to-day politics of former Yugoslav republics (now independent states) as well as wider trends within the respective countries' societies.
| “ | We have principles that are completely incompatible with journalism - first of all, there is no such thing as objective journalism, there is no other side, we are not interested in any remarks from their pro-fascist repertoire, we don’t tolerate any hate speech of the right wing. Right-wing, fanatics, various lunatics – you simply can't find them here. This portal is a small island of its own kind through which we communicate with normal people who still have some common sense left.[2] | ” |
E-novine devotes special attention to war crimes and criticism of the role that Serbian media had in Yugoslav wars. The majority of articles it publishes are harsh political satires (Lukovic, Markovic, Dezulovic, Lucic and others), and the most common targets are politicians and parties in power in regional countries. A significant number of articles is being written by its readers from their own perspective. Apart from politics, this portal also deals with isuues concerning society, culture, economy, sports and entertainment.[3]
E-novine unofficially refers to itself as "small heretical medium" due to its perceived marginalized position on the Serbian media scene.[1]
E-novine was founded in November 2007 with Srđan Kusovac as its first editor-in-chief.
Petar Luković took over on May 30, 2008, gathering a group of people that became the new editorial staff. That day is considered to be the birthday of e-novine. By the end of 2008, visits to the site dramatically increased. The number of visitors went up several hundred percent in comparison to the previous period. Over a half of those weren’t from Serbia, rather from countries in the region.[3]
In mid-2009 E-novine faced serious possibility of having to shut down for financial reasons, due to the pressure from the Serbian regime, but remained in business with the help of its readers' donations.[4] The beginning of 2010 led to another critical point under the pressure of regime through its advertisers, and E-novine appealed to the readers again.[5]
Petar Luković claims that only the media loyal to Serbian president Boris Tadić are allowed to be profitable, and furthermore says that the web advertising in Serbia is monopolized by a handful of agencies, all owned or operated by people with close professional and personal ties to Tadić and his party. Nevertheless, he points out that E-novine will continue to be completely independent and keep reexamining any regime that may be in power.[6]
E-novine is being criticized by Serbian nationalists and other authors.
| “ | Aiming at objectivity and facing the arguments of the other side is the basic principle of how public opinion works. Being a journalist and denying objectivity at the same time is the negation of media practice itself.[7] | ” |
Critics assume that repudiations of objectivity and other side show how E-novine‘s editorial office understands the freedom of the press: “there’s no freedom for the enemy of freedom.”[7] They state that e-novine uses “appealing humor as a political resource against those who are not like-minded", namely nationalists, as a rule.[7] They are further criticized for allegedly not allowing the hate language from right-wing while allowing the same from the left-wing.[7]
Some authors accuse E-novine of “vulgarity” and “profane insults”, stating they are in the service of the Liberal-democratic Party (LDP), which is usually spared of their criticism.[8] On the other hand, LDP member Nenad Prokić made veiled accusations that E-novine caused the party to flop at the local elections in the Belgrade municipality of Voždovac.[9]