Sitemap

Slaviša Orlović Ph.D., Professor at the Faculty of Political Science, author of the book Nadziranje demokratije [Monitoring Democracy]

Reputation Is More Important Than Ever

The media knows how to both create and destroy reputations. Sensationalism and tabloidisation are additionally killing journalism. It has been forgotten that spoken and written words also carry responsibility

The media and journalism reached their peak in the 1970s and ’80s. However, the first three decades of the 21st century have confirmed that media companies are in the hands of those who hold economic and political power. The media scene and journalism face numerous challenges.

Commercialisation has led to the easing of journalism standards. In the struggle for market share, the crucial difference between what is in the “public interest” and what “interests the public” has been forgotten.

Commercial success is based on the cheap production of soft news. The media is increasingly superficial and destructive, led by the logic that “only bad news sells well”. The line between information and entertainment is being increasingly blurred. Media presentation inevitably strives to cater to the taste of a wider audience, utilising all tried and tested forms of entertainment – talk shows, celebrity status, amusement, infotainment – to make presentations more interesting and hold the attention. The gauge is circulation and people meters. Professional journalism opened the door to the huge industry of public relations, which could hardly wait to flood journalists with material about PR clients. The media not only reflects reality, but also constructs it. They don’t only report from events, but also create events. There is ever more “retroactive journalism”, in which the most important stories appear after the fact.

During this time of electronic media dominance, primarily television, but also the internet, visualisation has been reinforced and led to a visual culture. We are today preoccupied by an abundance of screens: televisions, computers, tablets and smart phones. The civilisation of the book has been replaced by the civilisation of the image. Newspapers are leafed through, print publications are leafed through on television, as are TV channels – by remote control. The emergence of the internet created new optimism over the revival of journalism, but those expectations proved unrealistic.

The old media represented a means of controlling the authorities, while the (new) social media have become an instrument for monitoring citizens

News is produced more easily, spread faster and distributed more cheaply. The internet is all surface and no depth. The internet snatched the economic base of journalism and became a competitor to advertising. The border between producers and end users of information has now become more fluid. Citizen journalism and the possibility for citizens and audiences to participate in the process of informing and reporting is leading to mass amateurisation.

The old media represented a means of controlling the authorities, while the (new) social media have become an instrument for monitoring citizens. Media outlets no longer aim to inform us, but rather strive to control us. Social media has led to a “surveillance paradigm” – with citizens monitored for economic, political and security purposes. With the help of microchips, processors, cameras and algorithms, data is processed to show what we’ve paid for and where (via payment cards), where we’ve travelled (Google maps), with whom we’ve communicated (Facebook, Viber, WhatsApp), who we’ve shot photos and videos with (Instagram, YouTube). Social media is the realisation of the dystopian future in which we’re living. Reputation is more important than ever. The more important reputation becomes, the more it is subject to attack. The media knows how to both create and destroy reputations. Sensationalism and tabloidisation are additionally killing journalism. It has been forgotten that spoken and written words also carry responsibility. New media have led to new occupations. We now have Twitter-politicians, blog-analysts, Facebook-activists, Google-journalists, Wikipedia-intellectuals, YouTubers and other influencers.

If something doesn’t appear in the media it’s as though it never happened. And that doesn’t mean that it happened in the way it is portrayed in the media. With the evolution of the media, information has become disinformation and news has become fake news, while the truth has become post-truth. Full freedom to be informed is “guaranteed only to media owners”. If we recognise and diagnose what’s happening, we are on the right road to deciding what to do.

CorD Recommends

More...

Comment by Zoran Panović

The Absurdity of Reality

Amid the unfolding upheaval surrounding Trump’s return to the White House, mass Student-led protests have erupted in Serbia. The trigger was a tragedy at...

Florian Bieber, Professor for Southeast European History and Politics at the University of Graz and director of the Centre for Southeast European Studies

Autocratic Regimes Spark Mass Protests

Protests in Slovakia, Georgia and Serbia stem from different causes, but reflect broader political frustration and often inspire one another There have been large protest...

Vladan Marjanović, journalist of weekly news magazine Radar

Violence Threatens from Above and Below

With Trump’s return to the White House, the world has entered a period in which the power of state repression, based on the violating...

Slobodan G. Markovich, Faculty of Political Science of the University of Belgrade

The Mutiny of Zoomers and the Belgrade Student Protests

Gen Z in the West and Serbia seeks security and respect, expecting institutions – and not politicians – to deliver. Using likes, dislikes and...

News

New Agreement Boosts French Investments in Serbia

The Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) and the French investment bank Banque publique d'investissement (BPI) have signed a Memorandum...

Novi Sad’s Ambitious Leap Boosted by Elleven

Novi Sad is setting the stage for a new era in business and innovation with the development of Elleven,...

Director Neil Jordan and Mary Coughlan, the Irish “Billie Holiday,” Guests of the 13th Belgrade Irish Festival

Renowned Irish film director Neil Jordan and exceptional Irish jazz and blues singer Mary Coughlan will visit Serbia for...

New Leadership for Serbia’s FIC

On February 12, 2025, the Foreign Investors Council (FIC) of Serbia elected a new leadership team. Dr. Ronalnd Seeliger,...

The Grand Reopening of The Bristol Belgrade

The Bristol Belgrade has officially reopened after an extensive two-and-a-half-year restoration, seamlessly combining its storied past with modern luxury. Renowned...

European Motorcycle Sales Surge in 2024

In 2024, Europe's five largest motorcycle markets saw a notable increase in sales, fueled by the demand for urban...

A New Front in the Trade War

President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports is stirring fresh tensions, particularly with...

Austrian Business Cooperation in Serbia

The annual survey by Advantage Austria on the business climate in Serbia for 2024 confirms the stability and growth...

The Hermitage Days are Being Held Again in Belgrade in 2025

The Hermitage Days in Serbia represent a unique international cultural project that will take place from February 19 to...

Djokovic into Australian Open Semifinals After Victory Over Alcaraz

The best Serbian tennis player, Novak Djokovic, secured his place in the Australian Open semifinals after an incredibly thrilling...

European Motorcycle Sales Surge in 2024

In 2024, Europe's five largest motorcycle markets saw a notable increase in sales, fueled by the demand for urban...

A New Front in the Trade War

President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports is stirring fresh tensions, particularly with...

Austrian Business Cooperation in Serbia

The annual survey by Advantage Austria on the business climate in Serbia for 2024 confirms the stability and growth...

The Hermitage Days are Being Held Again in Belgrade in 2025

The Hermitage Days in Serbia represent a unique international cultural project that will take place from February 19 to...

Djokovic into Australian Open Semifinals After Victory Over Alcaraz

The best Serbian tennis player, Novak Djokovic, secured his place in the Australian Open semifinals after an incredibly thrilling...