Miloš Maksimović: A TV Personality of 100 Octane

He is a journalist, host, voice actor, podcaster, YouTuber, the face of "Polovni automobili" (Used Cars), and the person we rely on when choosing our next car. When he’s not behind the wheel or in front of the TV camera, Miloš Maksimović, with his impeccable diction and velvety voice, hosts various events and panels, assisted by his rich encyclopedic (un)necessary knowledge, as he says.

In an interview for 011info, Miloš Maksimović reminisces about childhood memories that sparked his love for four-wheelers, reveals how he ended up on television, which cars pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised him during auto tests, and announces a new app that will push the boundaries of educational content.

What are your earliest childhood memories?

They are related to reading. With my grandfather and daily newspapers, I learned to read quite early, at the age of four or five. I've always loved to learn. In fact, when I was in the first or second grade, I knew enough English to spot when something was poorly translated on the big screen.

My childhood is also marked by a somewhat funny anecdote that later tied into my professional path. Once, when I was home alone, my parents returned from work and asked me what was new. I replied, "Nothing, Mika Špiljak and Yasser Arafat went to have dinner," which I had picked up from watching the news on TV.

 

Another highlight of my childhood was playing with toy cars, mainly Matchbox and Majorette. My brother and I would get them in heaps whenever our father returned from business trips, which was so frequent that he had to renew his passport often. This led to a ritual where we would first pick our favorite cars, and the rest would go to our cousins.

We had so many toy cars that they barely fit into a large TV box, and to illustrate for younger readers, that box was substantial, capable of fitting a washing machine.

However, the main difference between my brother and me was in how we played with the cars. We slept and played on a pull-out couch—I on the left side, organizing my cars to resemble today’s used car lot, while he staged car races on his side.

Recently, I started collecting toy cars again, finding them at gas stations, despite already having an impressive collection from my childhood. My childhood effectively ended when I saw my child destroy my toys.

So, four-wheelers have been a focus since childhood?

First, it was two-wheelers when I learned to ride a bike, then four-wheelers. Hence, it’s no surprise that I eagerly wanted to get my driver’s license and sit behind the wheel. Although it may not sound popular, not having a license didn’t stop me from driving on the farm, whether it was a car, tractor, or combine, and occasionally even a small truck at the Belgrade Hippodrome.

The smell of gasoline, diesel, motor oil, and lubricants always excited me. I was always interested in how these machines worked and loved touching everything with my fingers. However, my parents didn’t share the same sentiment, so due to poor grades in high school, they punished me by delaying my driver’s license. It was very hard for me, considering I was born in January 1979, so I was the first in my group eligible for a driver's license, but I ended up getting it along with my friends in 1997.

 

 

Nearly three decades later, driving still relaxes me. City driving less so—it's mostly a source of stress—but any drive outside the city, to any destination, is a form of relaxation for me. If you asked me now if I’d go with you to Istanbul, my answer would be a plea to let me drive.

Which car did you start driving with?

I was fortunate that my parents thought strategically when my brother and I got our licenses, so they bought a VW Beetle 1200J, known as the Yugoslavian model, which had been thoroughly restored by a man near the motel "Ere Ojdanića". The car had a small, sporty, leather steering wheel and seats from a Golf 1, since Beetle seats offer no lateral support, along with black, wide rims. It looked impressive and cool, but I insisted on adding wing indicators because a Beetle isn’t a Beetle without them.

The first car I bought myself was a Yugo, and the story of how I got it is quite interesting. Just before the NATO "intervention" in 1999, a loan was taken out for the car. After the factory in Kragujevac was bombed, there was uncertainty about the car and the loan installments. Fortunately, the produced Yugos weren’t destroyed, and after the situation normalized, I paid off and picked up the car. Driving it was anything but sweet; once, the gearbox failed at a traffic light.

After that, the cars just kept coming: a Dacia Logan 1.5 TDI with air conditioning and a passenger airbag; a Ford Mondeo Mk2 2.0 TDCI estate; a Dodge Nitro 2.8 CRD; a Fiat Bravo 1.4 with factory gas, which was economical but strange due to the lack of horsepower; then a Škoda Rapid; a Nissan Pathfinder R51 2.5 with a diesel engine, whose head unfortunately cracked, which almost never happens.

Now I’m driving a Jeep Renegade 2.0 with a diesel engine, all-wheel drive, and a 9-speed ZF automatic transmission, or, as one of my followers summarized, an Italian bucket. Jokes aside, I enjoy driving this SUV; the only downside is the trunk volume and questionable stabilizers that need replacing every 30-40,000 km, but our roads also play a part in that.

What will be next, I truly don’t know. Every now and then, I get the urge to buy a car I’ve tested, but that’s part of the diagnosis I have. Fortunately, my family is there to restrain me, so I stay with what I drive but still browse the "Polovni automobili" ads obsessively.

 

You first became known to the public through your work in the media.

That’s right, exactly 17 years ago. My first job came more or less by chance, but on the other hand, I believe nothing in life happens by chance and that everything that happened until then paved my way. What do I mean by that...

My first job was right after high school, part-time at KK Crvena zvezda, where my dad had worked. At that time, I also became a father, so today I have children aged 22 and 25. That path from the basketball club led me to the first foreign real estate agency on the Serbian market and the South Korean embassy, then a bank where I was deputy head of administration and ad space sales in a magazine. Finally, I worked in a large retail chain as a sourcing manager and then entered private business with my brother in marketing, and later in cosmetics. 

Eventually, I saw an ad for a weather presenter on TV B92 and decided to apply. Honestly, I had no expectations, believing the contest was rigged. However, I had some predispositions. My father was a spokesman for the Basketball Federation of Yugoslavia and later Serbia, hosting many press conferences for Red Star. So, I had the opportunity to absorb his way of working and interacting with media colleagues firsthand.

On the other hand, since my mother was musically educated, I believe I inherited an ear for sounds from her, which meant I learned to imitate people like Josip Broz Tito, Slobodan Milošević, Vojislav Koštunica, and others from an early age. Combined with a certain misuse of nicotine sticks, I developed an impressive voice and vocal cords capable of producing a wide range of sounds.

 

Moreover, at the end of elementary school, I attended a drama school run by the late Bora Kandić, where Ivan Bekjarev also participated at some point. I acted in school plays, and during high school, I played Santa Claus for teachers' children and had a role in a play directed by Stefan Arsenijević, who later became a renowned director, at the IX Belgrade Gymnasium. As an aspiring actor, I tried to enroll in the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in 1998 but didn’t succeed.

Overall, at the audition for the popular weather show on B92, I showed the most charm and got the job. However, I only stayed in that position for two weeks.

The news director, Jelena Kosanić Podunavac, offered me a job as a news presenter. It was a shock, especially since news presenting was considered the queen of journalism, typically reached after years of journalistic experience, but my voice was what recommended me.

How did the first days at the news desk go?

To be honest, I was quite confused, but watching my colleagues, I learned to do the job very well. At that time, B92 intended to introduce morning news at 10 AM, and since it wasn’t realistic for Goran Dimitrijević to handle those in addition to the central news at 6:30 PM, it fell to me and my colleague Roksanda, then Đorđević, now Babić. We became a presenter duo, and by honing my skills in those news slots, I progressed to the noon news, then the famous 4 PM and central news, and finally the midnight news.

I spent a full five years there. After three years in news and a short stint on the show "Stanje nacije," Veran Matić gave me the opportunity to host the morning show "Dizanje" on Radio B92, as Dragan Ilić and the late Gorica Nešović had moved to Radio Belgrade. I did that for two years, first with the excellent Zorana Minčić, then with another colleague.

In that soundproof room, while wearing headphones and hosting a three-hour morning show, I discovered what I could do with my voice. This led to greater commercialization of me as an event host and as a voice capable of reading advertising slogans and various corporate texts.

 

What followed after B92?

I moved to Prva TV, where I somewhat returned to news. At that TV station, I decided to become a freelancer, being already involved in public appearances and hosting various events. I was in high demand, and those engagements conflicted with my obligations at Prva. 

Although, from the outside, leaving a secure salary might have seemed like a risky move, I haven't regretted it for the past 6-7 years of being, as social media likes to say, my own boss.

How did the collaboration with Polovni automobili come about?

Five years ago, the people from Polovni automobili contacted me with the idea of refreshing their YouTube channel by creating quality content. For me, this meant reviving my childhood love and fascination that I had with my previous project, Autologija, where during my radio days, I released 16-17 episodes on the YouTube channel of the same name.

I can confidently say that I am very satisfied with this collaboration, and I believe the same goes for my colleagues at Polovni automobili. Also, it is noticeable that people, whether on the street, the sidewalk, or in YouTube comments, mostly give compliments, while any criticism is generally about the choice of cars.

 

Testing cars is a very responsible job, especially considering that a large number of people rely on your reviews.

Absolutely. After all, a car is the second-largest purchase in life. That's why I make every effort to ensure that all the information I provide about a vehicle is absolutely factually accurate, as viewers will decide whether to buy that car based on it. Everything has to be done at a high production level because I cringe at poorly done work, especially in a time when we are increasingly sinking into a sea of misinformation and half-truths. I believe that people seeking information should have all available facts presented in the best possible way.

At the same time, I try not to be too harsh in my observations because I could harm sellers of similar cars on the platform. The universal truth is that cars have reached a certain level of expected service over the years. Of course, like every coin has two sides, so do cars – some are more or less reliable, comfortable, fast... But generally, it all boils down to preference, purchasing power, and the specific use of the vehicle.

Ultimately, this approach has transformed the Polovni automobili portal into the right place for buying and selling vehicles. I am extremely pleased to contribute and collaborate with highly credible and respectable companies that epitomize quality in their business domains.

 

You have tested many cars. Which one surprised you the most, pleasantly or unpleasantly?

It was during the filming of the New Year’s special for 2024. Previous specials featured the Mercedes G500, Volkswagen T2, and Rolls Royce Corniche, but for the latest one, it was the Maserati Gran Turismo. Believe it or not, we had to jump-start it with cables four times to film the episode because the battery was in terrible condition.

On the other hand, Tesla was the fastest car I have driven so far. It surprised me so much that I had to give the director and cameraman a ride because the G-forces during acceleration are truly incredible.

Do you miss working in news programs?

Honestly, I'm glad I'm no longer part of the news. Why? Because news programming has to be credible and serious, and my personality shone the most through hosting more relaxed shows, like "Dizanje" on B92. Such a format allowed me to talk freely, joke, and bring listeners a new sense of optimism and energy for the workday. 

On the other hand, I am still on television, working on the Shoppster platform, which is the first integrated online sales platform with over 350,000 different products available. On Shoppster TV, quality global brands are presented in 15-minute segments to help people make purchasing decisions.

And when I mentioned receiving comments on the street, 40% are about Shoppster, and 60% about Polovni automobili. Sometimes they are funny questions, asking for a recommendation for a good washing machine and vacuum cleaner on sale, and sometimes they are praises for the choice of cars based on my review.

So today, I work as a host, author, and creator on the Polovni automobili YouTube channel, I host on Shoppster TV, and I am the host of numerous formal and informal events and IT conferences, where in recent years I have established myself as a presenter.

 

What makes a good host?

You see, the hosting job carries a certain burden and pressure, but I always strive to meet the highest demands by giving my all and then some. Good preparation is a mandatory prerequisite before, as they say colloquially, a gig. This means that I, as a host, must be absolutely familiar with the topic of the event and the speakers.

Of course, it has happened that I have hosted panel discussions with which I have no direct connection, like investment banking or renewable energy. However, to do the job properly, the key is good questions prepared by the people who expect you to do a good job. This is also why I have a large circle of repeat clients.

Generally, I think the hallmark of a good host, whether on the radio or in entertainment, is having a broad range of interests, which characterizes me and my colleagues. It is unacceptable for listeners and viewers to know more than you. You simply have to have a wealth of information in your head, and I consider myself an encyclopedia of unnecessary knowledge, with digressions that have their own digressions, which is evident from conversations with me. Though my thoughts may seem confusing, I assure you my brain works fast, not solely due to excessive caffeine use, but because I am wired that way.

In essence, you have to be a homo universalis, the modern iteration of a Renaissance man, to be successful in this profession.

 

Do you watch your shows afterward?

You know, I feel good in my skin and enjoy what I do. Whatever I do, I always strive to do it the best I can at that moment. However, I have a dose of regret that tells me it could be better, so I don’t evaluate what I’ve done afterward. Hindsight is the worst, especially when filming for Polovni automobili, where I would constantly find fault with myself: from a wrinkled collar to a cheeky smile. The same almost goes for Shoppster.

As for voiceover work, lending my voice to ads and corporate texts, whenever I have the chance to hear them, I always stop and turn up the volume, even if I’ve heard it a dozen times. The reason is not self-love, but simply wanting to listen and think about how it affects the listener.

 

You entered the IT sphere as a host, and now you are a full-fledged member of this industry with the launch of an app.

That's right. As a conference host, I had the opportunity to meet many people from e-commerce and software development and learn many new things. This made me realize that I often feel the need to multiply myself because I can’t meet the demand. When you combine that with the fact that today’s parents spend less time with their children due to the fast pace of life, which has turned into a lot of work and little leisure, it occurred to me to create an app that would solve several problems for parents and bring a lot of benefits to children and later adults.

So, in collaboration with a young team of developers from Dedal Dev, I created the app "Pričaj mi" (Tell Me). It contains traditional fairy tales and fables, enhanced with excellent diction and pleasant narration, which will help parents get their children to sleep more easily. The app also includes educational texts on various natural phenomena, flora, and fauna—everything an exemplary citizen should know.

While recording the content, I had the luck and pleasure of working with exceptional professionals with outstanding voices: Dejan Košanin, who is often the first voice of commercials and corporate texts; Ana Đurić Konstrakta, our exceptional artist; Dejana Milović Buha, host of "Dizanje"; Maja Miralem, a young voiceover talent from Novi Sad; actor Ivan Zarić and his wife, my dear colleague, Ivana Zarić.

The whole idea of this app is to create something useful that should solve certain problems for parents but also help their children express themselves better and be equipped with general cultural knowledge, with top-notch narration and diction. Hence, one of the slogans is "Pričaj mi – maybe the best app for your child". We are also proud that we have arranged with the Novak Djokovic Foundation to ensure that all kindergartens, both private and public, in Serbia have free access to the app and the opportunity to hear about Novak’s path to success.

The app works on a subscription model, "pay to listen". However, certain content will always be freely available to everyone, and those not interested in paying for a subscription can unlock additional content by referring friends with a referral code. I sincerely believe we have done a quality job creating this app, which will greatly benefit children and in the future, adults as well. I hope this endeavor inspires others to venture down a similar path and create something of their own.

 

So, it’s an educational app?

Absolutely. When we were kids, we could watch Vladeta Janković talk about Greek mythology on television. We had cartoons at 7:15 PM and Branko Kockica, along with other content we could follow on TV that positively influenced our development. Today, almost no one takes this seriously, especially not the television networks. Therefore, this app is our way of tackling this issue and influencing our children, and tomorrow, our older citizens.