Political leaders shying away from tradition media

TIRANA, March 10 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha of the governing Democratic Party and main opposition Socialist Party leader Edi Rama are every day in the eyes of the public opinion with their daily activities followed by all the local television stations.
But a new way, format of presence has been noted recently and one which will likely be decisive and the main tool for their impact ahead of the June 23 parliamentary polls.
Both leaders now use the social media formats like the Twitter and the Facebook to introduce their ideas and continue discussion with their fans or supporters.
It was first Rama who started that with Twitter and he seemed to have given a good impression on his political rival who started later (last December). But Berisha preferred Facebook..
It is normal now that the local media refers often to the reactions that Rama makes on any daily event in his Twitter feed and the same with Berisha.
While they claim an increased support from their fans in the sites, they also have limited their presence in the talk shows and television stations.
That has been noted recently in the local media.
That probably pushed Berisha last Sunday to send a letter to Mapo newspaper to respond to an article from his publisher on Berisha’s lack of presence in the Klan TV station considered to be close to him.
Berisha wrote that it was not true he hesitated to be present in talk shows and repeated his saying of an open stand toward the media forums.
He also noted that there is a new form of communication with and through the media and referred to the Facebook. He also said that he holds regular monthly press conferences and is open to question in his social network, which he considered the open form of communication.
There is an increase use of the social forums in the country, especially bythe youth. That seems to push the two leaders to be a better user of them too.
Both leaders have also urged their ministers or lawmakers to be present and make known that in the social networks. One may see that ministers are so fond of using Facebook and the same for lawmakers from both political parties and more.