Top Channel

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Top Channel TV is Albania's largest TV broadcaster. It is a private owned business entity, which operates and covers most parts of Albanian territory. Since September 2003, Top Channel has also been present on free view satellite broadcasting all over Europe.

It is well known as it has been financed by the Mafia and Socialist Regime connections. One of the "hidden" co-owners is Edvin Rama (Mayor of Albania).

1 = History

[edit] = History

Top Channel was established on 30 July 2001 and since then has seen very fast growth and success and is well liked by many people. Based on a survey in 2003, Top Channel is ranked as the most watched TV channel in Albania with 50 % of the national audience, thus leaving far behind the second watched TV in country which accounts for 17 % of the national audience. Its success relates to its informational programs about the problems that Albanian society is facing, as well as to the comparatively high quality of information, educational and entertainment programs.

Since its establishment, through its popular programs Top channel has proven to be a window for Albanian citizens to address individual and community social and economic problems, and is seen as a reliable source of dissemination of information. In the past years the channel also has sought partnership with international development agencies such as UNDP, UNICEF, IOM, OSCE, USAID, Albanian and French Red Cross, and many others, and sustains partnership with international private companies such as Vodafone. In addition, Top Channel has seen growing partnership with international news agencies such as Reuters in exchanging news coverage.

[edit] Principles

The channel's most important principals, according to its homepage, are:

accuracy
impartiality
analysis and commentary
sound tone of moderation and respect
ethical conduct
high speed of information

Their mottos are:

Trust is the cornerstone of Top Channel: we are independent, impartial and honest.
Audiences are at the heart of everything we do.
We take pride in delivering qualities and values.
Creativity yields vitality of our organization.

[edit] Programs

Top Channel TV programs include a broad range of shows, news editions, social and economic programs and entertainments (movies, sports etc). Most of the programs are being transmitted as live broadcasting. Scheduled programming includes:

"News Edition and Reportages" - special news edition
"Fiks Fare" - criticizing and problem-raising show
"Exclusive" - weekly inquiry program
"Shqip" - Interview and debate live studio program
"Business" - socio economic studio debate
"Top Show" - talk show
"Portokall Show" - stand-up comedy
"Top Fest" – cultural program with music
"Pol Position" - cultural program with art and dance
"Top Story" - Top Stories of the week in a new dimension

      Loja      - the albanian equivalent of Punked

[edit] News editions and reportages

This includes the daily news about social, political, business and current affairs. They emphasize deeper analysis of the problems rather than giving a fast overview. The main aim is to be comprehensible to most auditors and to maintain a balance between news from urban and rural areas.

[edit] Jashte Bulevardit – Out of Boulevard

Out of Boulevard is special program produced by Department of Information whose role is to be thought-provoking and informative, analyzing complex issues in-depth such as human trafficking and security, breach of law, public health, natural environmental concerns, free markets and the likes. The aim of this program is to report a story and to provide an insight based on evidence and on professional judgments, looking for a wide range of evidence and opinion.

[edit] Fiks Fare

Fiks Fare is a criticizing and problem-raising show, which through humor and satire denounces the negative trends of life such as corruption, fraud, law-breaking phenomena by officials, human rights violations, country development issues and the likes. This show is also meant to be entertaining with dance and music elements. The popularity that this program and its simple language in addressing problematic issues of Albanian society has proven to be a significant mean of raising awareness and many times leading to solution of most evident drawbacks of the ongoing transition of the country. This program is broadcast every week day following immediately after main news edition.

[edit] Business

Business is a round table studio debate. The host of the program moderates a pool of debate among participants who are decision makers, policy makers, businessmen, and academics in the field of economy and business. The programme culminates with a cost-benefit analysis of activities among economic agents. Themes vary from interaction of macroeconomic indicators to rationale lying behind the economic agent's activities. Topics have included consumer protection, public goods services, monetary and fiscal policies implementations, costs of economic reforms in the process of European integration and business promotion.

[edit] Shqip

Shqip is the hard-hitting flagship programme shown on Top Channel TV on Thursdays. The one hour live interview is the result of detailed research and investigations. The program host asks the difficult questions and gets behind the stories that make the news in the country - from political leaders to intellectuals and decision-makers facing huge challenges. Shqip reports the events and interviews on politics development, security and social issues. According to a survey conducted in 2003 by IREX, Shqip was ranked as the most watched TV program of the same kind and thus gained some of the highest peak audience in the country.

[edit] Top Show

Top Show is a talk show enriched by various entertaining elements. The program invites every day six to eight individuals from various areas of art, politics, business and civil society who discuss over the hottest topics concerning the Albanian society. The forum of discussion touches sensitive subjects such as poverty, prostitution, corruption, family life, emigration, male domination and other events in sports and music. Diversity of opinions and debate between different individuals invited gives the show a specific point of view. The involvement of public in discussions is well thought by organizers who pay attention to keep the conversation flow focused on the subject. Top Show airs every night from Monday till Friday at 22.30 hours and repeats the next day at 10:00 hours. Only Friday airs at 21.00 hours.