Serbian audiences’ news consumption and choosing sides in the Russia-Ukraine war
Public attitudes toward the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Serbia diverge sharply from broader European trends, with a majority of citizens siding with Russia. While Serbia’s government officially supports Ukrainian territorial integrity, it has refrained from joining EU sanctions, reflecting a complex international position and a media landscape dominated by pro-Russian narratives. In this study, we use original survey data from an online sample of 2,027 respondents to examine how media trust, political orientations, and news consumption patterns shape both sides taken in the war and satisfaction with media reporting. Logistic regression analysis shows that trust in government-aligned pro-Russian media and support for the ruling party are the strongest predictors of siding with Russia. The same variables also explain satisfaction with news coverage of the war, suggesting a transfer of trust between media and message. Those with stronger anti-Western sentiment are more inclined to side with Russia and evaluate war reporting positively. However, the dominant media narratives also support this stance and reassure them of the validity of their worldview. Our findings point to a highly polarised and asymmetrically structured media and political environment, where partisan alignment and selective media trust strongly influence geopolitical perceptions and the views about the media. This research contributes to understanding how political loyalties and media systems influence public opinion in hybrid regimes during major international crises.
Igor Išpanović
Igor Išpanović is a Research Assistant at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade. He is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Cultural Studies program at the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade. His areas of interest include journalism and cultural studies, the political economy of media and communication, and media ethnography. https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0350-7718
Jelena Kleut
Jelena Kleut is an Associate Professor at the Department of Media Studies, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad and a member of the Governing Body of European Communication Research and Education Association. Her research focuses on the dynamics of audiences and journalism within the realm of new media and illiberal contexts. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6229-3185
Vujo Ilić
Vujo Ilić is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade. He holds a Ph.D. in comparative politics from Central European University in Budapest. His research focuses on elections, political participation, democratic backsliding, and political violence in Southeast Europe. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7597-6030
Danka Ninković Slavnić
Danka Ninković Slavnić is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade. She holds a Ph.D. in Media and communication studies. Her main academic interests are news audience studies, identity representation and politics, and visual communication.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7927-0040
Igor Išpanović