SDP's Magoda's former employer: 'Led Media' from Banja Luka censored 'white armbands', will GRAS reconsider cooperation

(Patria) - Reactions are not subsiding to the brutal censorship carried out by the agency „Led Media“ from Banja Luka, which refused to place billboards on the occasion of the International Day of Peace in Prijedor featuring children playing with a rubber band (lastiš) with white armbands.

The Youth Center “KVART” issued a public statement at the beginning of this week condemning the censorship and discrimination carried out by the agency “Led Media”.

„This service was previously agreed upon. Despite the previously paid invoice, this agency returned the funds with the notification that the submitted content 'does not correspond to the theme' of peace, demanding a change in the visuals depicting children playing with rubber bands. The controversial motif of children emphasizes the right to peace as a right that belongs to us by birth, by existence itself, and by belonging to the human community. Therefore, in the name of the right of today's children and youth to live their lives in peace, and on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, we remember those whose right was taken away along with their lives“, stated KVART.

“Led Media” decided not to publish the submitted billboards, claiming that “peace does not look like that” and demanded the depiction of doves with olive branches instead of children playing.

„Thus, the design of the 'white armbands' on the drawn children's sleeves became 'problematic'. The Youth Center “KVART” categorically refuses to accept any form of censorship and discrimination, emphasizing that such actions represent a serious violation of freedom of expression“, they stated.

According to KVART, instead of Prijedor being a city that promotes peace, local and entity authorities are once again prioritizing the glorification of military units, while children – even children at play – become targets of censorship.

Despite the censorship, activists from the Youth Center “KVART” posted posters on notice boards throughout Prijedor, where visuals with children and messages about peace clearly sent a strong message about the importance of remembrance and advocating for peace.

KVART did not accept the proposed adaptations by Led Media to remove the white armbands from the visuals.

KVART published the 'adaptations' proposed by Led Media d.o.o.

„The agency “Led Media” justified the censorship with alleged „expectations“ that the visuals „correspond to the theme“ of the International Day of Peace, and it was later revealed that the „mild adaptations“ were the result of alleged disagreement from other clients who did not want to be in the same advertising block with the submitted visuals. “KVART” officially requested access to the internal regulations of this agency that allow this practice of other clients commenting on content to be placed in a block with them, although this same practice was not applied in our case and we were not asked for such consent beforehand“, stated in the KVART press release, to which they received no response.

Call to clients to reconsider their relationship with Led Media

KVART called on Led Media's associates to reconsider their partnership with an agency that censors White Armband Day.

„What makes this case particularly alarming is the fact that “Led Media” operates throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, with huge annual revenues, meaning their influence in the advertising market is not negligible. The Youth Center “KVART” calls on all associates of this agency to reconsider their partnership with a company that clearly chooses to censor content related to White Armband Day, even when it involves visuals of children playing on the International Day of Peace. Such selective censorship is not only unacceptable but also a threat to freedom of expression in BiH“.

Incidentally, Led Media also owns the advertising electronic display located within the KJKP Gras depot. They pay GRAS 18,000 KM without VAT annually for the lease of the land on which the display is located. Thus, they pay 1,500 KM per month for land lease at one of the busiest locations, while Led Media earns significantly more from advertising its clients.

Led Media has been leasing land for billboards since 2017

In the KS Assembly in 2019, the issue of the lease between Led Media d.o.o. and KJKP Gras was raised.
Led Media has been a lessee since 2017 and has earned multi-million amounts from advertising at this location to date.

The current Minister of Culture and Sports in the KS Government, Kenan Magoda, stated in his LinkedIn professional profile, among other things, that he worked for Led Media for two years and nine months as an executive director.

That LinkedIn profile no longer exists, and Magoda's official biography, previously published in the media, states that he was the director of a marketing agency.

Following this unprecedented censorship in Prijedor with "white armbands", it is up to the KS Government and KJKP Gras to reconsider further business engagement with this company that leases land on which an electronic display is located.