Protesters enter pro-Vucic Informer TV newsroom in Belgrade, call for editor's arrest
About 30 protesters entered the newsroom of Serbia's pro-Vucic Informer TV on Monday night and called for its editor's arrest, during a second night of celebrations after the Student List won Sunday's election. Vucic called it an attack on free speech.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Protesters entered the newsroom of Informer TV, a Serbian television station supportive of former President Aleksandar Vucic, late on Monday 26 October and interrupted broadcasting to call for the arrest of its editor. The Straits TimesRC “Protesters entered a Serbian television station supportive of former President Aleksandar Vucic late on Monday, interrupting broadcasting to call for the arrest of its editor” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “interrupting broadcasting to call for the arrest of its editor” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2Live footage broadcast by Informer TV showed about 30 people surrounding editor-in-chief and owner Dragan Vucicevic; some shouted "This is how it is in free Serbia" and "Where is Vucic now?", and some called for his arrest. The Straits TimesRC “showed around 30 people walk into its newsroom on Monday evening and surround editor-in-chief and owner Dragan Vucicevic” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC ““This is how it is in free Serbia!” and “Where is Vucic now?” Others called for Vucicevic’s arrest.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2It happened as tens of thousands took to the streets for a second night of celebrations after the Student List, born out of a student-led anti-corruption protest movement, unseated Vucic in a historic election on Sunday, ending 14 years of his party's power. The Straits TimesRC “Serbia's Student List, born out of a student-led anti-corruption protest movement, unseated Vucic in a historic election on Sunday” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “bringing to an end his party’s 14-year grip on power” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Mixed · 2On his personal Instagram account, Vucic, wearing a jumper with the crossed-out word "sorry", called the incident an attack on free speech and the freedom of journalism. The Straits TimesRC “called the event an attack on free speech and the freedom of journalism” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “called the incident an attack on free speech and the freedom of journalism” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2Vucicevic said: "On the very first day of (Student List) power, they want to ban the media." The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia said it would apply on Tuesday to have Informer TV's broadcasting licence revoked, citing systematic violations of law and programme obligations. The Straits TimesRC “it would submit an application on Tuesday to have Informer TV's broadcasting licence revoked” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “On the very first day of [Student List] power, they want to ban the media.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2The student movement has no clear leader and Serbians are waiting to see who will be appointed prime minister. Its leading candidate, cardiologist Ilija Srdanovic, urged supporters in an Instagram video to stay calm and not resort to any form of violence. The Straits TimesRC “The student movement has no clear leader and Serbians are waiting to see whom it will appoint as prime minister” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “Don’t resort to any form of violence.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Mixed · 2A group also gathered outside the private pro-Vucic Pink TV in Belgrade, which police cordoned off, and the public broadcaster RTV in Vojvodina opened its evening news by apologising to viewers for uncritical, one-sided reporting. The Straits TimesRC “A group of people also gathered outside the private pro-Vucic Pink TV station in Belgrade on Monday evening, which was cordoned off by police.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “apologising to viewers for failing to fulfil its role, citing uncritical, one-sided reporting” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2Context cited by both: Serbia ranked 104th of 180 in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, its lowest ever, and the Crta monitor found national TV gave three-quarters of politicians' airtime to government representatives and portrayed the Student List negatively over 80% of the time. The Straits TimesRC “Serbia was ranked 104th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “The Student List was portrayed negatively more than 80 percent of the time it was discussed” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Al Jazeera leads with protesters storming the station after Vucic's loss, and adds a voter's voice on freedom from dictatorship.
- Emphasis
- Celebrations, fireworks after Vucic conceded, Vucic's career background.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Nothing material beyond the wire text; it carries Vucicevic's statement without quoting him to the outlet directly.
- Charged language
- “stormed”“dictatorship”
- For example
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“Protesters stormed a Serbian television station supportive of former President Aleksandar Vucic” — Al Jazeera
“It means freedom from a dictatorship that has lasted for 12 years” — Al Jazeera
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Straits Times runs Reuters copy with the more measured 'entered', centred on the incident and Vucicevic's comments to Reuters.
- Emphasis
- Vucicevic's quote to Reuters, the Hungarian state TV apology comparison.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No voter reaction or celebration detail; no description of Vucic's career as prime minister and president.
- For example
-
“Protesters entered a Serbian television station supportive of former President Aleksandar Vucic” — The Straits Times
“Informer's Vucicevic told Reuters.” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- About 30 people entered Informer TV's newsroom on Monday evening and surrounded editor Dragan Vucicevic.
- Vucic called it an attack on free speech and journalism.
- The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia planned to seek revocation of Informer TV's licence.
- Student List candidate Ilija Srdanovic urged calm and no violence.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the protesters 'entered' or 'stormed' the station
- Left
- Al Jazeera says protesters 'stormed' the station.
- Right
- The Straits Times (Reuters) says protesters 'entered' the station.
Aleksandar Vučić person
Vucic, who lost the election, called the incident an attack on free speech and journalism freedom.
“called the event an attack on free speech and the freedom of journalism” — The Straits Times
Left1 article
-
Protesters storm Serbian pro-Vucic TV station after his loss at polls
Mixed Al Jazeera frames it as a storming after Vucic's defeat, adding celebration and a voter calling the era a dictatorship.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
Protesters enter Serbian pro-Vucic TV station, call for arrest of editor
Neutral Reuters wire copy run by The Straits Times; factual account with press-freedom context.
- 27 Oct 12:30 First The Straits TimesRC Protesters enter Serbian pro-Vucic TV station, call for arrest of editor via Reuters
- 27 Oct 17:37 +5h 7m Al JazeeraLC Protesters storm Serbian pro-Vucic TV station after his loss at polls
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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