Newsmax Balkans at the Panel in Rovinj on the Use of AI in Media

The panel featured Zoran Trifunovic, Executive Program Director of Newsmax Balkans and author of the show Sinteza, Neda Trifunovic, COO of Reputeo and AI expert, Nikola Stojic, Executive Director of Digital Content at Newsmax Balkans, and Ika Ferrer Gotic, Senior News Producer and Anchor at Newsmax Balkans, who also moderated the event. The discussion focused on how AI is shaping content, audiences, and media strategies.

The participants pointed out that Newsmax Balkans, which has become an essential part of the regional media landscape in less than a year, is an example of a television network successfully integrating into the digital age.

Zoran Trifunovic emphasized that television still has the power to shape information, but platform algorithms are increasingly dictating the dynamics of content.

“The key is authenticity—viewers recognize and value reliable sources, even in a digital environment,” said Trifunovic.

Foto: Weekend Media Festival/Daniel Gjurček

The Executive Program Director of Newsmax Balkans and author of Sinteza stated that television can still pursue genuine journalism in the AI era, but must quickly integrate new technologies.

“AI can help with operational efficiency, but creativity, analysis, and contextual interpretation remain human advantages,” he stressed.

Foto: Weekend Media Festival/Daniel Gjurček

He also added that fake news is the worst thing.

“Don’t lie to people. I will never approve of that,” he said.

He emphasized that television is the only medium that allows two-way communication.

“You have a person in front of you, you ask questions and get answers. I agree that AI is very practical, even useful in every sense. But without people, there is no real news. That’s our motto: Real news for real people,” Trifunovic said.

Foto: Weekend Media Festival/Daniel Gjurček

He also pointed out that Newsmax Balkans has expanded throughout the region. Today, viewers from Belgrade to Skopje follow Newsmax Balkans, and soon bureaus will open in Brussels and Washington, with plans to expand into Central and Eastern Europe — from Poland and Albania to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania.

Nikola Stojic noted that digital departments use artificial intelligence as a supporting tool.

“It’s still the journalist who must give the news a personal touch and make editorial decisions,” he emphasized.

Foto: Weekend Media Festival/Daniel Gjurček

He shared an experiment where he asked AI to write a more complex article.

“The only part I was completely satisfied with was the headline. As for the structure of the text, as an editor, I wasn’t pleased. Even though I come from the digital world, I believe television is still the most influential medium — the only thing that’s changed is how it's consumed. Digital gives us concrete data,” said Stojic.

Neda Trifunovic stated that artificial intelligence is changing the rules of the game globally.

“It accelerates content production, data analysis, and information personalization,” she said.

Foto: Weekend Media Festival/Daniel Gjurček

She gave the example of The New York Times from a few months ago:

“The New York Times signed a major deal with Microsoft and OpenAI, licensing content written by field reporters so that AI can be trained on real data,” Neda Trifunovic pointed out.

Newsmax New York journalists Greg Kelly, Sharla McBride, Marc Lotter, and Rob Finnerty also addressed the audience via video message.

Kelly expressed the opinion that AI is already a helpful “colleague” in the newsroom, while McBride believes that despite potential cost savings and optimization, machines can never replace the authenticity and empathy of field reporters.

Lotter, on the other hand, highlighted that transparent use of artificial intelligence for fact-checking could help restore trust in the media, which has been shaken in recent years.

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