Media of Albania

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The media of Albania refers to mass media outlets based in Albania. Television, magazines, and newspapers are all operated by both state-owned and for-profit corporations which depend on advertising, subscription, and other sales-related revenues. The Constitution of Albania guarantees freedom of speech. Albanian media are quite diverse, although politicised, and often influenced by business and political interests.^[1]

Legislative framework

The Constitution of Albania provides for freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and the government generally respects these rights in practice. However, there are reports that the government and businesses influence and pressure the media. The constitution and law prohibit arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence, and the government generally respects these prohibitions in practice. There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or reports that the government monitors e-mail or Internet chat rooms without appropriate legal authority. ^[2]

The Constitution of Albania prohibits censorship; yet, the law may require authorisation for radio and TV broadcasting. Hate speech is forbidden. The Constitution also grants citizens the right to access to information: every citizen has the right, in accordance with the law, to acquire information on the activities of state bodies and persons exercising public functions. ^[3]:11

The print press in Albania is mostly self-regulated. The Law on the Press only states that "The press is free. Freedom of the press is protected by law". Printed publications do not require authorisation, nor are they registered in number at any time. ^[3]:11

Broadcast media has been regulated repeatedly: in 1998 (Law on Public and Private Radio and Television), 2007 (Law on Digital Television) and 2013 (Law on the Audio-Visual Media). The latter, although meant to implement the EU AVMS Directive, has been criticised for allowing political control over the Audio-visual Media Authority and failing to ensure its independence. ^[3]:11

During election campaigns, as stated by the Election Law, TV and radio coverage (but not the press) needs to be balanced. Yet, the two main parties are allocated double the time than the other smaller parties. The Central Election Commission forms a Media Monitoring Board, composed of party representatives (but excluding smaller and newer parties), and tasked with punishing non-compliant outlets with (rather small) fines. ^[3]:11

Libel and defamation were decriminalised in March 2012, but remain punishable by high fines - something which is deemed reinforcing trends of self-censorship among journalists. Since 2005, the government and the public administration have pledged not to sue journalists. Since 2013, a Ministerial Code asks ministers not to sue journalists without the prime minister approval, or face the risk of removal. The number of civil cases has dropped, but the formula is not yet entrenched. ^[3]:11

Access to information is guaranteed by law since 1999, though implementation lags behind. A 2014 new law aimed to prevent delays in officials' answers to access requests. Institutions should appoint coordinators, and a Commission for the Right to Information is tasked to monitor compliance.^[1]

Online contents are lightly regulated. The only prosecuted contents are those concerning genocide or crimes against humanity, as well as provocation of ethnic, religious or other hate. The Chief Prosecutor may and should collect all relevant content. ^[3]:11

Setting up a website requires a permit by the Authority on Electronic and Postal Communication (AKEP), responsible for the technical regulation of online media.^[4]

Regulatory authorities

The Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) is the main media regulator in Albania, replacing the previous National Council of Radio and Television (KKRT). The AMA is tasked with issuing broadcasting licenses and monitoring their use. It is funded through fines, annual licenses and fees, though it can also receive public budget money. It 5 members are elected by the Parliament for 5 years for maximum two terms. Civil society organisations propose names of experts, which MPs from majority and opposition then shortlist and elect (3 each). The 7th member, the AMA Chairman, is elected by the Parliamentary majority. ^[3]:11

The AMA is commonly considered as highly politicised. After a long in-fight, two members and a new chairman were elected in late 2014, but the opposition boycotted the vote and did not recognise its outcomes.^[1]

Status and self-regulation of journalists

The Ethical Code of the Albanian Media Institute, created in 1996 and revised in 2006, states that journalists "have the right to obtain information, to publish, and to criticize. Information should be truthful, balanced and verified.

The Albanian journalism labour market is unstable and journalists often work without contracts (90% of them, according to a 2012 study of the Albanian Media Institute^[5]) or for unpaid extra hours, facing delayed salary payment (up to in 70% of cases^[4]). The lack of professional stability undermines motivation and secuity, and push towards either self-censorship or business and political interferences. Existing journalists' labour unions are not very active in defending journalists' rights. Average salaries for journalists in Tirana are 300-600 euros; journalists outside the capital are paid even less, and 60% of them do not reach the national average wage.^[6][4] Media owners often fail to respect the Law on Work Insurance.^[3]:14 Journalist may find themselves forced to take up second jobs, with possible conflicts of interests.^[1]

The lack of resources hinders the development of professionalism and quality journalism. Journalists often can only refer to official statements and phone calls; investigative journalism is rare. The professional culture is still very influenced by the socialist times.^[3]:14

Journalists in Albania remain at risk of being physically obstructed, assaulted or threatened while covering specific events. In June 2014 criminal gangs shot at a A1 Report TV crew, with a vehicle torched and a journalist shortly taken hostage, during a police raid on a village involved in drug-trafficking.^[1]

Media outlets

Albanian media are mainly funded through advertising revenues, which lack trasparency, coupled with sponsorships and the sale of media productions. The law does not regulate state aid for the media, yet, the opacity inallocation of state advertising is a persistent source of controversy. The economic crisis has reduced the share of advertising revenues of broadcasters (from 58% in 2009 to 30% in 2010), making the media more and more reliant on direct financing by media owners, and equally more at risk of business and political interferences. ^[3]:13

Foreign investors have entered the Albanian media market lately, with the Italian Edisud Group and the German WAZ–Mediengruppe racheting up local media. Media ownership concentration is not yet deemed a problem, although ownership is often obscured through proxies. Cross-ownership is nevertheless on the rise. Economic cross interests of media owners also threaten the media independence.^{[4][3]:13-14[1]}

Partisan bias is particularly visible at electoral time, and self-censorship remains a concern. The market conditions also discourage investigative reporting.^[1]

Transparency is lacking in the state funds to the media sector.^[7] The unfair distribution of state advertising to the Albanian media has been a recurrent concern. The issue is not explicitly regulated.

• In 2012/2013 over 780,000 euros were reported to be channeled to the media, the biggest share going to a single media group, owned by Rezart Taci, deemed favourable to the government.^[8]
• The PD government allegedly channeled state advertisement funds towards friendly media outlets, and continued doing so even after 2014 through the city government of Tirana. According to BIRN, in the first three quarters of 2014 the Tirana administration accounted for 64.5% of all print advertisement spending by Albanian state institutions.^[1]

Print media

First copy of Rilindja Demokratike newspaper on 5 January 1991.

Albanian language newspapers were banned during Ottoman times. Publications in Albanian from other parts of the Empire (Sofia, Bucarest, Thessaloniki, Athens, Istanbul) were smuggled in the region. After independence in 1912, news publications included Koha ("The Times", 1920-26), Demokratia (1925-39), and Drita ("The Light", 1936-39). Socialist Albania saw Zëri i Popullit ("The People's Voice", 1944) as the official propaganda publication of the Albanian Party of Labor; the newspaper remained during democratisation as the organ of the Socialist Party of Albania. Rilindja Demokratike ("Democratic Rebirth", 1991) was founded as the first opposition newspaper.

Newspapers have remained mostly free after 1991 in Albania - with the partial exception of the 1994-97 period under Sali Berisha's Democratic Party of Albania. Investigative journalism though has remained rare, and journalists inquiring episodes of corruption are often harassed. Most newspapers remain linked to business and political interest groups, since they could not fund themselves simply with the sale of low numbers of copies.

The number of newspapers in Albania was nearly 92 in 2001^[9] and 98 in 2002.^[10] Ownership links and financial dependence on business and political tycoons limits journalistic quality and independence, and fosters sensationalism and commercialisation.

The independent Koha Jonë is the daily with the biggest readership, although no official numbers are available. Circulation is deemed the lowest in Europe.^[1]

Tirana's main newspapers are Albania, Ballkan, Gazeta Shqiptare, Gazeta 55, Koha Jonë, Metropol, Panorama, Rilindja Demokratike, Shekulli, Shqip, Tema. Numerous other dailies and weeklies provide regional and local information. ^[11] English-language news are provided by the Albanian Mail and the Tirana Times. Greek-language newspapers include Dimotiki Foni, Dris, Foni tis Omonoias, Laiko Vima, Provoli, and Romiosini. Gazeta 2000 publishes in Albanian, Greek, and English.

The state's news agency is the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATSH)^[12]

Publishing

INSTAT counted in 2012 around 100 publishing houses and 380 printing presses in Albania, with an average yearly production of 1200-1500 titles.^[13] The main challenges of the sector concern the high production costs, lack of promotion, lack of a solid distribution network. The economic crisis seriously affected the publishing sector, with the closure of bookshops and publishing houses, according to the Albanian Association of Publishers (SHBSH), that reported a 40% drop in book sales in 2015.^[14]

Publishing houses in Albania include:^[15]

• Onufri Publishing House, established in 1992, publisher of the complete works of Ismail Kadare and Martin Camaj, as well as several foreign classics
• Ombra GVG Publishing House, publishing i.a. Margaret Mazzantini, Antonio Tabucchi, Dino Buzzati, Bernard Cromwell, Edmond Tupja
• Neraida Publishing House, founded in 2002, specialising in children's literature and publishing classical and contemporary Greek literature
• Dituria Publishing House, publishing non-fiction books since 1991
• Argeta-LMG Publishing House (established 1996), specialised in national historical works, dealing with the history, language, culture and tradition of the Albanian people, including publications of authors from Kosovo.
• Toena (est. 1993, publisher of Rexhep Qosja),^[16][17]
• others: Plejad (with its philosophy series), Dita2000, UET, Shtepia Botuese 55,^[18] Mediaprint, Ombra,^[19] Dudaj (publishing Italian writers),^[20] Saras

Public service broadcaster

The state broadcaster in Albania, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSh, Albanian Radio and TV), operates national radio and television networks. It has competition from scores of privately owned stations.^[21] According to a 2002 survey the broadcaster with the largest audience is TV Klan.

The Audio-Visual Media Law states that RTSH should "promote Albanian culture and language, and artistic and literary creativity"; produce and broadcast freely accessible content, "related to national health and public order, as well as in cases of national emergencies".^[4] Original content should amount to 50% of the broadcasts. To promote pluralism, RTSH broadcasts in minority languages (Greek and Macedonian) in the border regions.^[4]

RTSH Steering Council's members are elected with a procedure similar to those of AMA, thus reinforcing the issue of politicisation and lack of independence. The OSCE has remarked serious problems with the balance of RTSH coverage during the 2013 electoral period. The public broadcaster finds it difficult to respect the balance in time allotment as required by the Electoral Code.^[4] RTSH typically shows a strong pro-governmental bias.^[1]

The Steering Council approves the RTSH statutes and appoints/dismesses its directors; "approving the strategy, organisational structure, and program structure; monitoring the impartiality, objectivity, and comprehensiveness of programming; advising and assisting the Director General in carrying out his program responsibilities; and drafting the annual report on RTSH activities for submission to Parliament".^[4]

RTSH finances itself through a license fee (€0.75 per month per family) and may receive funds from advertising, third party services (including productions), performances, donations and sponsorships (upon approval of the Steering Council), and the sale of programmes.^[22]

Radio broadcasting

King Zog and Queen Geraldine Apponyi (here on a picture from 1939) launched Radio Tirana in 1938.

Albania hosts 2 public radio networks and roughly 25 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2010);^[23]

The radio stations with nationwide coverage include the three public channels (Radio Tirana 1, 2, and 3), Top Albania Radio and Plus 2 Radio. Several radio stations broadcast locally or over the internet.

The BBC World Service (103.9 MHz in the capital, Tirana), Deutsche Welle, Radio France Internationale, and the Voice of America are available.^[21] The BBC Albanian service operated from 1940 to 1967 and from 1993 to 2011.

Television broadcasting

Television is the most influential medium in Albania. The country hosts 3 public TV networks (one of which transmits by satellite to Albanian-language communities in neighboring countries) and more than 60 private TV stations; cable TV service is available (2010);^[23] Besides the public service broadcaster RTSH, nationwide TV channels include Top Channel and TV Klan, plus Vizion Plus on satellite. Former national channels include TVA, Albanian Screen, and Agon Channel. Regional channels include Ora News, News24, A1 Report, ABC News, UTV, SuperSonic, BBF, Channel 1, and TeleSport.

Many Albanian's watch Rai Italia) and ANT1 Greece via terrestrial reception.^[21] TV5Monde Europe is also available as foreign relay.

Television was first introduced in 1960. The state-owned RTSH dominated the Albanian broadcasting field up to the mid-1990s, a period when privately owned radio and TV stations started to occupy the vastly empty Albanian frequencies. Albania has also been a broadcasting centre for its neighbouring countries, with Klan Kosova (for Kosovo), Alsat M (for Macedonia) and Agon Channel Italia (for Italy). Transition to DTV broadcasting is stalling.^[24]

Cinema

The cinema of Albania had its start in the years 1911—1912, with the first showings of foreign film, and the recording of few documentaries in the pre-war and inter-war period. During socialist times, the Albafilm-Tirana was founded with Soviet assistance, focusing mostly on propaganda of wartime struggles. Growing isolationism in the 1970s and 1980s stifled cinematographic imports and fostered domestic productions, which was diversified to various genres, including cultural documentaries and animated films. By 1990, about 200 movies had been produced, and Albania had over 450 theaters, though most of the equipment was obsolete. With economic transition in the 1990s, Kinostudio was broken up and privatised. A new National Center of Cinematography was established, while cities built modern cinema theatres catering mostly US movies to the public.

Telecommunications

Until 1990, Albania was one of the world's most isolated and controlled countries, and installation and maintenance of a modern system of international and domestic telecommunications was precluded. Albania's telephone density was the lowest in Europe, and callers needed operator assistance even to make domestic long-distance calls.

Despite investments, the density of fixed lines remains the lowest in Europe; however, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; cellular use is widespread and generally effective; multiple companies provide mobile services and mobile teledensity had reached 100%; international traffic is carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2011).^[23]

Internet

Internet penetration has reached 54.7% of the population in 2012 and 60% in 2014, although this may exclude some rural areas.^[1]

Internet broadband services were initiated in 2005, but growth has been slow. Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital.^[23] Rural areas are provided free public broadband access though the Eutelsat satellite, with access points at post offices, schools, and local government offices.^[25]

Online media and blogs offer an independent and alternative information from mainstream media, but they reach a smaller audience and often lack resources.^[1]

References