Contrasting realities face Albanian media as editorial independence and freedoms are curtailed by political pressure and economic interests. EU decides to place special emphasis on media freedoms as part of the integration process.
TIRANA, Jan. 17 – The headlines in the Albanian media this month have been enticing for anyone who is interested in Albanian politics: A university dean with connections to the Socialists arrested in the United States for shoplifting. A foreign businessman accuses the Albanian prime minister’s daughter of trying to cheat him out of millions. Democrats accuse the opposition leader’s wife of illegal construction. The Socialists accuse the prime minister’s family of becoming outlandishly rich.
Depending on what newspaper one picks up or what newscast one turns on, any of these can be the top story, delegated to the back pages, or not appear at all. It all depends on the political and business leanings of the media outlet.
It’s part of a contrasting Albanian media scene, which has more outlets per capita than most European countries, has gained legislative freedoms that many journalists around the world dream of – while all together being not free editorially and not independent economically, local and international media experts say.
Remzi Lani, director at the Albanian Media Institute, says that despite the fact that the media is seen as the most trusted institution in the country when it comes to things like fighting corruption, outlets serve as attackers and clients of the politicians at the same time, while there is still a lack of transparency in media financing.
“I like to call it a ‘media scene’ rather than a ‘media market’, because there is no market-like logic to media in Albania,” says Lani, adding there is clearly more media outlets than a normal market would have.
The idea is to create a cacophony of client media with loyalties to one side or another, says one journalist who did not want to be identified for fear of losing his job. The high number of outlets is designed to drown out contrary reporting and to serve the political and economic interests of the media owners. Every journalist knows the editorial line of the newsroom, and self-censorship often plays as much of a role as does official censorship, journalists say.
It’s a reality that has not been lost on international observers.
Marco Leidekker, who heads the Council of Europe office in Albania, speaking at an event in Tirana this week, noted that the CoE and OSCE have done various reports on Albanian media freedoms, discovering a problematic situation – ranging from lack of transparency in media ownership and financing to the missing freedoms for all journalists to do balanced and uncensored work.
Both Lani and Leidekker made their comments at a conference on media freedoms organized by the European Union office and the Albanian Integration Ministry as part of the framework of the country’s integration into the bloc.
One of the top issues the conference dealt with political interference which is negatively affecting the development of the free media in the country. Other themes included the image of the public broadcaster, advertisement public money distribution, labor contracts for the journalists, independence of the editorial line and other issues.
Scores of media professionals, institutions concerned with media freedom, decision makers and international experts analyzed the current media situation in the country and gave their views on the issues of concern, challenges and on the way forward.
In addition to addressing Albanian authorities and business representatives, EU Ambassador Ettore Sequi also took some time to address attending journalists directly, highlighting the importance of media as an institution in a country like Albania.
“It’s crucial that journalists speak freedom every day,” Sequi said. “You are the agents of freedoms you want to see.”
Ambassador Sequi said the EU has has a new emphasis on media freedom, which is why the conference addressed a number of issues, including those underlined in the latest European Commission Progress report; such as defamation, transparency and openness of the market, independence of the public broadcaster, employment conditions of journalists and media ethics.
Genc Pollo, the minister of technology and innovation, said that despite some ongoing problems, Albanian media has moved forward to provide some of the most advanced services in the region, particularly through the proliferation of new digital technologies. Internet access is now available to 60 percent of Albanians due to opening of the market to private companies, and those who want to have an online media only need the will and know-how to do so, he said. New publications require no special permission other than to register as a business and television licenses are only limited due to the finite number of frequencies.
Pollo added Albanian legislation provides unprecedented freedoms that keep journalists safe from being sued and pressured.
However, as with a lot of things in Albania, it is not about what’s written in the books, but rather what happens in practice that’s more important, critics say.
“The legislation on the books is important, but it’s not enough. The quality of media leaves still a lot to desire,” says Valentina Leskaj, a Socialist MP, and head of the parliamentary commission on education and media.
She points out that it is economic instruments that are just as powerful, if not more, than political ones when it comes to controlling the media — and those with political and governing power use funding as pressure.
“Those in power attack media that is critic to them and reward those who are friendly,” she said.
Even before the EU’s announcement this week, freedom of expression and media issues have had garnered special attention in the integration process and were outlined in the European Commission Enlargement Strategy for 2011-2012 and as a follow-up to the 2012 Progress Report.
The EU has increased attention to these issues in the EU accession process and is closely monitoring developments in this area in the enlargement countries, including Albania, according to EU authorities.
“For the European Union … media freedom is very important. Freedom of speech is just as important … as democracy itself,” Ambassador Sequi said. “Freedom of the media is vital for Albania’s EU membership.”
The ambassador said he was glad to see the legislative changes aimed protecting journalists, and added EU has invested in Albania for media freedoms and will continue to do so, particularly when it comes to investigative journalism.
“The EU wants journalists to be allowed to speak freely,” Sequi said.
