Sports media group Ringier issued a new public notice on Friday saying it is “false and damaging to its reputation” over the firing of GSP editor-in-chief Catalin Zepelin. The message from the sports division of Ringier comes after 95 GSP and Libertatea journalists published a protest on Tuesday, October 3, alleging repeated interference in the newsroom by some top managers of Ringier Sports Media Group and their desire to change working procedures in favor of betting companies that advertising clients, the editorial office of Gazeta Sporturilor refused to intervene.

In a statement today, Ringier Sports said these were “false allegations that damage our reputation” and that “no evidence was presented to support them,” according to Libertatea.

In their letter of protest, Libertatea-GSP journalists also published a quote from an email dated October 20, 2022, in which a Ringier Sports Media Group manager and GSP shareholder wrote to editorial managers that “you are proud to tell me that ” The separation of editorial from commercial is maintained at 100% in our editorial offices.” Well, I see a big problem with that, but I think so”

At the same time, both editors also published a written message that they sent on August 28 to the management of Ringier’s parent group. The meeting took place in Zurich, and the official appeal to the group’s management was to immediately end pressure from some managers and owners of Ringier Sports Media Group, who asked GSP to read articles about bookmakers before publication.

“We do not believe that anyone has the authority to change the rules by which this giant media company has operated for nearly 200 years, and journalism itself even longer,” the reporters wrote in a request to Ringier’s management and board. During the meeting in Zurich, the journalists described further evidence of pressure on editorial independence from the top of the Ringier Sports Media Group.

After the editors’ appeal to the parent company Ringier on October 2, Robert Lingg came to Bucharest and fired GSP editor-in-chief Catalin Zepelin, one of the main initiators of the appeal, delivered to Zurich on August 28.

The situation at GSP and Libertatea sparked protests against Ringier’s parent company from several press independence organizations, the National Broadcasting Council, the International Federation of Journalists, and the European Commission said it was “monitoring the situation in Romania” and that “the media must be able to operate freely and independently anywhere in the European Union”.

The company’s Friday statement posted on its website about the “false allegations” is no longer signed by Ringier’s parent company, like the first two, but by its sports division, Ringier Sports Media Group, headed by Robin Lingg and as CEO Sr. partner of Stilian Shyshkova, Libwertatea reports.

Message from Ringier Sport Media Group

Below is the full statement from Ringier’s sports division:

• “We categorically reject the serious disinformation regarding the alleged interference in the work of our journalists from the GSP. Apart from false accusations that damage our reputation, no evidence has been provided to support them.

• Our journalists work in accordance with our high ethical standards. Editorial decisions are made by the editors-in-chief.

• Strategic discussions between editorial and commercial teams are commonplace in media companies around the world.

• The recent departure of Cătălin Śepelin, former editor-in-chief of Gazeta Sporturilor, was driven by different strategic visions and was mutual.

• Our editorial teams in seven countries work autonomously, but share the same commitment to providing quality content to our readers. The fact that Ringier has been operating in Romania for more than three decades, part of a 190-year tradition, demonstrates our commitment to editorial freedom.

• Accusations that RSMG dictates editorial policy are baseless and do not reflect the professionalism of our journalists.

• For us, journalism means facts, clarity and deep analysis. We support the principle of relevance in all media sectors. Synonymous with trust for 190 years, we strive to uphold our journalistic values ​​and serve our readers authentically and honestly.”

Libertatea-GSP scandal against Ringier management

We remind you thatthe editor-in-chief of GSP, Cătălin Śepelin, was removed from the Swiss patronage, and the editors of GSP and Libertatea were accused of pressure in connection with advertising clients, in this case gambling companies.

​73 journalists from Gazeta Sporturilor (GSP) and Libertatea, the media products of the Swiss trust Ringier, signed a letter of protest against the management’s decision to fire GSP editor-in-chief Katalin Schepelin. In the document entitled “We are against”, the signatories are accused of putting pressure on advertising clients, in this case gambling companies.

Superbet, one of the biggest players in the betting market in Romania, responded by saying that any interference with editorial content or pressure at the management level is incompatible with the company’s values ​​and that it will take strong action against any employee who acts unprincipled .

At the same time, Prime Minister Marcel Cholaku has also launched an attack on the gambling industry, an industry that will see new taxes and advertising space severely curtailed. “All limits were exceeded. It is not normal for the betting industry to have so much power. During the pandemic, they sat at the government table, now they threaten politicians and fire journalists. I think that’s enough, it’s gone too far!” – declared Cholaku.