N1 journalist Stas Zgonik received the Slovene Association of Journalists Award for Outstanding Journalism Achievements this past year. The Cuvaj/Watchdog 2024 award was given to him for his investigative piece in the “In-Depth” section, where he exposed questionable practices in advertising dietary supplements.

Slovene Association of Journalists (DNS) recognized Stas Zgonik’s dossier on misleading advertisements for dietary supplements as an outstanding journalistic achievement in Slovenia last year and awarded him for it. In the piece, Zgonik systematically uncovered controversial practices in this area and pointed out that the state was not doing everything it could. Following his articles, state institutions announced changes after several months.

Stas Zgonik, upon receiving the DNS award for N1, said: “I am glad that my work has been recognized and that it has prompted some reflection at the state level. In modern society, where we are constantly sold things, we don’t need and are often turned into patients so that we can be offered ‘medicine,’ this small victory in dietary supplement advertising seems like an important achievement. However, I am not delusional. The fight against the flood of misleading promises in the connected world is impossible to win. I hope that we can at least provide better protection for the elderly, who often live on modest pensions and are the primary targets of skilled marketers promoting dubious health products.”

In its justification for the award to Stas Zgonik, the Slovene Association of Journalists wrote: “Through his investigative journalism on how dietary supplements are advertised and sold in Slovenia, he exposed a shameless business model: profits far exceed the fines imposed, so it pays off for companies to deceive people, even when it comes to their health. He meticulously described the methods of deception, in which a doctor and even one of the universities are involved for enough money, as well as the impotence of the relevant inspection authorities. He pointed out that this is a business model that is ultimately supported by media outlets, including public media service RTV Slovenia, through the publication of advertisements, which directly contradicts the basic journalistic mission of the media.”