Maja Sever was born in 1971 in Zagreb and is one of the most famous Croatian journalists and television editors. She has been the face of Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) for many years, and readers recognized her for her involvement in civil rights and helping people in need. After completing her journalism studies at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb, Sever built her career working on the children’s program of HRT, and already in 1991 she started reporting from the Homeland War and the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over time, she took on increasingly responsible roles in HRT’s news program – she edited and hosted daily television news, including the popular one Diary.
War reporting and emissions Croatia live
Maja Sever started her television career as a young war reporter. From 1991 to 1995 she reported from the field About the most important events of the Homeland War and the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the end of the war period, she became the editor of HRT’s news program. The culmination of her journalistic work was a talk show “Croatia Live”, which she led for 13 years (from 2004 to 2017). She hosted that show with a wide audience response, until it was canceled in 2017 for political reasons. Since then, Sever has been cooperating in a well-known show “Sundays at 2” with Aleksandar Stanković. Her work is still based on social justice topics today: she advocates media freedom, minority rights and humanitarian work to help the most vulnerable.
Trade union and international engagement
In addition to television work, Maja Sever has been actively participating in trade union and international journalistic work for years. That’s how it is since 2019. The president Union of Croatian Journalists (SNH). In June 2022, she became the first woman – and at the same time the first representative from the Balkan region – as president European Federation of Journalists (EFJ). In these positions, he particularly advocates for the labor rights of journalists, the fight against censorship and the legal protection of media freedoms. In addition to her duties in SNH and EFJ, Sever is also in other professional committees – for example, she participated as a representative of journalists in the HRT Program Council.
Prizes and awards
Maja Sever received a number of important awards that testify to her influence on the media and society. The most important recognitions include:
- Journalist of the Year (2018) – Award of the Croatian Journalists’ Association for exceptional professional work.
- Pride of Croatia (2019) – Plaque for humanitarian action as one of the founders of the “People for People” initiative.
- “Terrible Women” Award (2021) – for the contribution of gender equality and social justice in Croatia.
Key information about Maja Sever
- Born: 1971 in Zagreb.
- Education: Graduated in journalism at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb.
- Career: war reporter and news editor at HRT; host of the show Croatia live (2004–2017); permanent contributor to the show on Sundays at 2.
- Functions: President of the Union of Croatian Journalists (since 2019); President of the European Federation of Journalists (since 2022).
- Activism: He fights for journalistic rights and freedom of speech; He often participates in humanitarian actions and civic initiatives.
- Family: She is the granddaughter of the Croatian poet and politician Vlado Gotovac.
Conclusion
Maja Sever is an example of a journalist who combined professionalism and social engagement. Long-standing presence on HRT, trade union work and numerous awards show her dedication to independent media and justice. If you are interested in media freedom and the role of journalists in society, follow the work of Maja Sever and the activities of the journalist associations she presides. Her career encourages reflection on the importance of independent journalism, and her biography recalls the influence of journalists throughout history.
Cover photo: cold, CC BY-SA 4.0, Via Wikimedia Commons
