Albanian Media Institute
ALBANIAN MEDIA NEWSLETTER, January 2008
PARLIAMENTARY MEDIA COMMISSION DISCUSSES AMENDMENTS ON DEFAMATION
The Parliamentary Media Commission approved in principle the amendments to the Penal and Civil Codes on libel and defamation. Both the Penal Code and the Civil Code contain articles on defamation and slander that are considered regressive in the framework of the freedom of expression. The current amendment proposes to completely repeal insult and libel from the criminal law. On the other hand, the amendment for the civil provisions on defamation seeks to establish a statue of limitations, a casual link between the contested action or statement and the perceived damage to reputation, as well as introducing a mechanism that ensures proportionality of compensation to the damage suffered. This bill is a joint initiative of the Albanian Media Institute and the Justice Initiative, New York.
TOP CHANNEL TV IS GRANTED THE NATIONAL LICENSE
The National Council of Radio and Television (NCRT) granted to Top Channel TV the national license on January 21. Top Channel and Vizion Plus were the two candidates competing for the national license. Top Channel was established in 2001 and has had a rapid development ever since. Although there are no official audience surveys, Top Channel TV is acknowledged as one of the most popular TV stations in the country. The other two national televisions, in addition to the public broadcaster TVSH, are TV Klan and TVA. The license of TVA, terminating in end of 2008, was annulled by NCRT last October, but after complaint was lodged, the decision was revoked. Both TVA And TV Klan have problems with extension of their signal in the percentage that their license conditions require them to reach.
TEAM TRAINING AND SUPPLEMENT ON EU INTEGRATION
A team reporting training took place at the Albanian Media Institute on January 7-11, with the participation of ten journalists from print media. The reporters gathered to produce a supplement that was published in daily “Panorama” on January 14. The supplement focused on the topic of justice and internal affairs. Judicial reform is a key priority currently in the country, so lecturers Gledis Gjipali, Aida Gugu, Elvana Thaci, and Ditmir Bushati from Agenda Institute covered different problems related to these sectors. More specifically, they tackled in details the partnership documents on judicial reform, the European standards in justice, the role of the judicial system in ASA implementation, and the ongoing reform in this area in the country. Another key sector addressed during the lectures was the bailiff’s service, focusing on the deficiencies of this service and EU recommendations on this element of the judiciary system. The articles that were produced in the supplement followed along these lines, including topics such as juvenile court, need for protection of judiciary administration, bailiff service’s reform, Supreme Council of Justice, etc. This project was supported by Soros Foundation and organized by the Albanian Media Institute and Agenda Institute.
LOCAL TELEVISION CLAIMS LACK OF ENERGY INDICATES INDIRECT GOVERNMENT PRESSURE
A1 Television, a Tirana-based local television station, has been experiencing difficulty since mid December, due to the cut-off of electric energy by the Albanian Energetic Corporation (KESH.) According to KESH, A1 TV owes KESH 32,000 Euro, since the measuring equipment for use of energy had led to a mistake in billing. A1 TV claimed that this was extortion and refused to pay the bill, resulting in KESH cutting off energy. The television station complained at the Regulatory Entity of Energy, which found that there were some irregularities in KESH proceedings and the two sides should negotiate until they found a solution. However, KESH refused to supply back electric energy to A1 TV, refusing to obey the decision of the regulatory authority. Owners of the company claimed that this case is an indirect pressure of the government, which does not appreciate the editorial independence of these media. Reporters Without Borders also issued a declaration condemning this indirect pressure after being signalled of this case.
TRAINING ON NEW FORMS OF ONLINE JOURNALISM
The training course on latest developments of online journalism took place at the Albanian Media Institute on January 14-18, with the participation of 15 journalists from print and electronic media, as well as journalism students. The course aimed to introduce journalists to the main principles and skills of online journalism, as well as to its latest developments. The trainers introduced the participants to online journalism, current stage of its development, the main characteristics of this form of journalism, etc. The main focus was to enable participants to practice the ways they can implement these tools on their everyday tasks. The participants were introduced to the main websites of interest to journalists, as well. The trainers provided practical examples for the participants. This training course was organized by Albanian Media Institute with the support of Swedish Helsinki Committee.
TRAINING ON ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING
Training on environmental reporting The training course on environmental reporting was organized on January 28-February 1, with the participation of 16 journalists from print media and students of journalism. The main aim of this course was to introduce journalists to the basic notions, tools, and perspectives when reporting on environment. For this reason, topics addressed included investigative reporting on environment and the main topics that can be covered in this area given Albania’s stage of development and its current environmental state. Importance of informing the public regarding climate change and Albania’s position or strategy in this regard was another major issue discussed. The participants were further acquainted with the right to information on environmental policies and the existing tools for accessing information in this regard. Finally, they also became familiar with the viewpoint of organizations focused on environment, along with the introduction of online publications in this area. Participants discussed with the lecturers different problems in reporting on environment, such as access to information, specific terminology, making the articles reader-friendly, etc. This training course was organized by Albanian Media Institute with the support of Swedish Helsinki Committee.
LAST SUPPLEMENT ON EU INTEGRATION IS PUBLISHED
The team reporting training took place at the Albanian Media Institute on January 21-25, followed by the publication of a supplement on daily “Koha Jone” marked the completion of the series of training and publication of supplements on EU integration. A team of ten journalists from print media was trained in the course of this activity. The reporters gathered to produce a supplement that was published in daily “Koha Jone” on January 29. Lecturers Valbona Kuko, Gledis Gjipali, and Ditmir Bushati from Agenda Institute focused on the CARDS Programme and on the Instruments of Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA.) More specifically, they tackled in details the aims and implementation of each program, such as strengthening of democratic institutions, increasing stability, etc. Specific attention was paid to the detailing of IPA and especially to its five components. The lecturers also explained the political and financial regulatory framework, giving examples on ways to benefit from this program. The articles that were produced in the supplement followed along these lines, reporting on the progress of implementation of these programs. So, the articles brought examples from different EU-funded assistance programs, such as PAMECA mission, programs such as INTERREG, TAIEX, and IPA, etc. The articles also tackled problems in benefiting from assistance in this area, such as translation of EU legislation, bureaucratic hindrances in applying for assistance, etc. This project was supported by Soros Foundation and organized by the Albanian Media Institute and Agenda Institute.
Albanian Media Institute
ALBANIAN MEDIA NEWSLETTER, February 2008
NCRT GRANTS VIZION+ TV THE NATIONAL LICENSE FOR SATELLITE BROADCASTING
National Council of Radio and Television granted Vizion+ TV the national license for satellite broadcasting on February 18. Vizion Plus first started broadcasting in 1999 as a local television and expanded its coverage of territory through the years, becoming one of the main television stations in the country. The station also applied for national terrestrial license on November 2007, but the license was granted to Top Channel. Vizion+ TV is also broadcast in the digital terrestrial and satellite television.
TRAINING ON REPORTING ON CULTURE
A training course on reporting on culture was organized at the Albanian Media Institute (AMI) on February 11-15, with 15 reporters covering art and culture in the mainstream Tirana-based media. The main aim of this course was to introduce young culture reporters to new aspects of covering art and culture, diverse perspectives, and coaching them in reporting in a reader-friendly manner. Some of the topics covered by the lecturers included use of clichés or stereotypes in cultural reporting; the existence of myths in this genre, the reflection of the national identity when reporting on culture and the way that media commercialization affects cultural reporting. More specifically, participants discussed with the lecturers the situation of publication and books in the country, the state policies in this area, and compared Albanian media coverage of books and reviews to foreign ones, discussing specific examples.
Another topic of great interest for the participants was the coverage of visual arts in the media, involving the perception of reporters themselves of visual works and their interpretation of these works, both in traditional and modern art. The participants were also introduced to the main policies related to culture of the Albanian government, focusing on the range of challenges that the main national institutions in the country, like theatre, opera, etc, face nowadays. Finally, specific attention was devoted to the coverage of theatre performances by the media, addressing specific approaches a culture reporter can have in this regard. This training course was organized by AMI with the support of SHC.
ROUNDTABLE ON ETHICAL ISSUES OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA
A roundtable focusing on ethics in broadcasting was organized on February 29, with the participation of regulatory authority representatives, media experts, movie directors, analysts, and representatives of main televisions in the country. The main aim of this roundtable was to discuss some of the most significant ethical problems in television broadcasting at the moment. Keynote speakers were Fatos Lubonja, Remzi Lani, and Bashkim Hoxha from the Council of Ethics of the National Council of Radio and Television (NCRT,) Mesila Doda, chairwoman of NCRT, and Mirela Oktrova, Director of Television at RTSH, the public broadcaster. The speakers focused on topics such as main trends and problems on ethics in electronic media, depiction of violence in electronic media and its effects, broadcasting of works and documentaries made during communism, with their pros and cons, and the respect for standard norms of Albanian language and electronic media’s role and impact in this regard. This roundtable was organized by NCRT, Albanian Media Institute, and Council of Ethics of NCRT.
SEMINAR ON MEDIA AND POPULISM
A seminar focused on media and populism was organized at AMI with the participation of 25 journalists from both print and electronic media on February 26-27. The seminar’s main objective was to examine and discuss media’s relations to populism tribunes and the way that media coverage affects the society in this aspect. The seminar focused initially on defining populism and identifying examples of populism-affected coverage in Albanian media. Special attention was paid to opportunistic policies followed during elections’ campaigns and the way media represents these campaigns. Lecturers discussed with participants the distinction between left or anti-global populism and right or xenophobic one. The history of the emergence of this movement and its evolution to present days was also addressed during the course. In addition, lecturers addressed with participants the role of charismatic leaders in populism movements, bringing specific historical figures. More specifically, the participants and lecturers discussed the impact of populism on democracy and society, focusing on modern examples of both East and West Europe. Lecturers for this seminar were Piro Misha, Director of Institute of Dialogue and Communication, Ditmir Bushati from AGENDA Institute, Remzi Lani, analyst, etc. The seminar was organized by AMI and supported by Balkan Trust for Democracy.
IN-HOUSE TRAINING ON ETHICS IN PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL TELEVISION NEWSROOMS
Two in-house training sessions on ethical issues and implementation of Code of Ethics were organized in the newsrooms of TVSH, the public broadcaster, and TV Koha, one of the main television stations in the country. The TVSH training session took place on February 6-8, conducted by Lutfi Dervishi, author of the Code of Ethics. He also conducted in-house training at TV Koha on February 20-22. Participants were reporters and editors of the newsroom in both television stations. The trainer addressed the main ethical issues in the profession of journalism, such as accuracy, fairness, truthfulness, language used, etc. Specific attention was paid to coverage of politics as one of the most salient issues, addressing different actors, such as Government, political parties, Parliament, elections’ campaigns, etc. Coverage of specific delicate topics and groups, such as those of reporting on minors, on violence, sex, mourning, minorities, religions, gender, physically disabled persons, etc, was a particularly sensitive topic addressed during the in-house trainings. Conflicts of interests and editorial independence of Albanian media were also widely discussed by the trainer and participants, illustrating the problems with specific examples brought from the participants.
TRAINING ON NEW FORMS OF ONLINE JOURNALISM
A training course on latest developments of online journalism took place at the Albanian Media Institute on February 18-22, with the participation of 12 journalists from print and electronic media, as well as journalism students. The course aimed to introduce journalists to the main principles and skills of online journalism, as well as to its latest developments. Trainers introduced the participants to online journalism, current stage of its development, the main characteristics of this form of journalism, etc. In her lecture she focused on specific ways that the participants could practice online journalism, including search engines in Internet and their specific features, catalogues and databases, the diverse search strategies, and the practical usage of Internet in today’s reporting. Other topics included writing for online media, blogs, forums, and adapting style for online writing. Introducing journalists to the main websites of interest to journalist, the trainers provided practical examples for the participants. This training course was organized by Albanian Media Institute with the support of Swedish Helsinki Committee.
PUBLICATION ON HISTORY OF ALBANIAN RADIO
“70 Albanian radios in 70 years: 1938-2008” is a book by Arben Muka, radio journalist, correspondent of Deutsche Welle. The author presents a list of the 70 most prominent radios in Albania in the last 70 years, presenting their history, development, interviews with reporters and directors, where applicable, and photos picturing their evolution. The main aim of the author is to map the history and evolution of the Albanian radio landscape by identifying the main actors in the brief, but intense history of this medium. The publication also contains information on other radios that exist in the country and are not included in the list of 70 radios, as well as information on licensing criteria for radios in Albania.
ONLINE JOURNALISM TRAINING
A training course focusing on online journalism was organized at the Albanian Media Institute on February 6-8, with the participation of 10 journalists from print and electronic media. The course aimed to introduce journalists to the main principles and skills of online journalism, as well as to its latest developments. Trainer Mitrulla Thodhori, IT expert, introduced the participants to online journalism, current stage of its development, the main characteristics of this form of journalism, etc. In her lecture she focused on specific ways that the participants could practice online journalism, including search engines in Internet and their specific features, catalogues and databases, the diverse search strategies, and the practical usage of Internet in today’s reporting. Other topics included writing for online media, blogs, forums, and adapting style for online writing. Introducing journalists to the main websites of interest to journalist, the trainers provided practical examples for the participants. This training course was organized by Albanian Media Institute with the support of Albanian Mobile Communications.
WELL-KNOWN JOURNALIST PUBLISHES COLLECTION OF ARTICLES
Fatos Baxhaku, well-known journalist, collected his most important articles in a publication entitled “Gur.” Having worked both in print and television, this author has preferred the genre of reportage and features, portraying persons and areas all over Albania, bringing closer to the public their problems. In his reportages Baxhaku has conveyed some severe social problems that afflict Albania, bringing specific persons and groups, considered discriminated or neglected, as the heroes of his articles. This publication features a selection of the most representative articles and problems the author has covered through his journalistic career.
Albanian Media Institute
ALBANIAN MEDIA NEWSLETTER, March 2008
REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON SELF-REGULATION
A regional conference on self-regulation took place in Tirana on March 28-29, with the participation of self-regulatory bodies from UK, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosova. The main aim of the conference was to exchange experience among participants on the main tools, problems and challenges in establishing an effective self-regulatory system or mechanism in the media. Speakers included representatives from councils of ethics from the respective countries, as well as Albanian journalists, editors, and associations’ representatives. Some of the key issues discussed in the conference were the necessary conditions for self-regulation, the relation between self-regulation and defamation, different self-regulatory mechanisms, imposition of fines or sanctions and their viability, and prospects for future efforts in the region. Participants also addressed the emerging problems of media ethics in the wake of rapid technological development and continuous change in the profession of reporters. Overall, key speakers and participants encouraged the continuation and consolidation of the self-regulation process in the country. The conference was organized by Albanian Media Institute with the support of SHC.
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON HARMONIZATION OF ALBANIAN MEDIA LEGISLATION WITH EU STANDARDS
A roundtable on the need to harmonize legislation affecting media with the respective EU regulation was organized in Tirana. The roundtable discussed the findings and recommendations of a comparative study of Albanian legislation vis-à-vis European standards that Albanian Media Institute carried out. The main laws and acts that this study examined were the Law on Electronic Media, the Law on Access to Information, the Law on Defamation, Law on Copyright, etc. Roundtable discussions stressed the need to decriminalize defamation and libel provisions in the Albanian legislation and improve the civil provisions by further clarifying them and enabling a mechanism that rewards the remuneration proportional to the damage of reputation and other factors. The need to improve the Law on Access to Information, its timelines, and expand the modalities and range of accessing public information. Finally, various aspects of the law on electronic media were discussed, such as protection of minors, sponsorship provisions, broadcasting quotas, etc. Overall, the participants emphasized the importance of improving not only the laws, but also strengthening the implementing bodies. This roundtable and research were carried out by Albanian Media Institute with the support of SHC.
REGULATORY AUTHORITY REPORTS TO THE PARLIAMENT
National Council of Radio and Television (NCRT) chairwoman, Mesila Doda, submitted the annual report of the regulatory authority on media to the Parliament on March 13. The report was criticized by the opposition, claiming that the regulator had not yet reported on two major problems, namely transparency of media financing and the national strategy for digital switchover and its consequences. Other charges made were favourable treatment in granting of licenses, biased implementation of the law and delayed implementation of digital broadcasting law. In spite of opposition complaints, the report was passed in the Parliament.
IN-HOUSE TRAINING ON ETHICS IN TWO NATIONAL DAILY NEWSPAPERS
Two in-house training sessions on ethical issues and implementation of Code of Ethics were organized in the newsrooms of daily Standard and Panorama newspapers. The Standard training session took place on March 4-6, conducted by Lutfi Dervishi, author of the Code of Ethics. He also conducted in-house training at daily Panorama on March 13-15. Participants were reporters and editors of the newsroom in both newspapers. The trainer addressed the main ethical issues in the profession of journalism, such as accuracy, fairness, truthfulness, language used, etc. Specific attention was paid to coverage of politics as one of the most salient issues, addressing different actors, such as Government, political parties, Parliament, elections’ campaigns, etc. Coverage of specific delicate topics and groups, such as those of reporting on minors, on violence, sex, mourning, minorities, religions, gender, physically disabled persons, etc, was a particularly sensitive topic addressed during the in-house trainings. Conflicts of interests and editorial independence of Albanian media were also widely discussed by the trainer and participants, illustrating the problems with specific examples brought from the participants. These training sessions were organized by Albanian Media Institute with the support of Swedish Helsinki Committee.
ONLINE JOURNALISM TRAINING
A training course focusing on online journalism was organized at the Albanian Media Institute on March 11-13, with the participation of 10 journalists from print and electronic media. The course aimed to introduce journalists to the main principles and skills of online journalism, as well as to its latest developments. Trainer Mitrulla Thodhori, IT expert, introduced the participants to online journalism, current stage of its development, the main characteristics of this form of journalism, etc. In her lecture she focused on specific ways that the participants could practice online journalism, including search engines in Internet and their specific features, catalogues and databases, the diverse search strategies, and the practical usage of Internet in today’s reporting. Other topics included writing for online media, blogs, forums, and adapting style for online writing. Introducing journalists to the main websites of interest to journalist, the trainers provided practical examples for the participants. This training course was organized by Albanian Media Institute with the support of Albanian Mobile Communications.
HEALTH REPORTING TRAINING COURSE
A training course on health reporting was organized at the Albanian Media Institute on March 3-7, with the participation of 15 journalists from both print and electronic media. The main aim of the course was to introduce participants to the main problems and developments of the health care system. Some of the topics addressed during the training included the harmonization of health care legislation with EU regulation, the structure of the public health institutions, the main challenges of primary health care in the country, preventing role of health institutions for epidemics, the organization of the hospital system, and health insurance policies and problems.
Other topics of interest for the participants were the existing legislation on medicine and health care and inspection, the state measures to control epidemics and other infectious diseases, the specific sector strategies for mental health, blood banks, medicine equipment, and basic services. Participants discussed with lecturers the distinctions between public and private hospitals and clinics and the Ministry’s role in supervising this sector. The financial sources of health care system were also discussed, along with the main challenges of the health insurance institutions. Lecturers came from the Institute of Public Health, the Ministry of Health, the Directory of Public Health, and the Institute of Health Insurance. This training course was organized by AMI with the support of SHC.
SEMINAR ON MEDIA TRANSPARENCY IN KORCA
A seminar on media transparency and media reporting on corruption was organized in Korca on March 18-19, with the participation of 30 local media owners, editors, and journalists. The Albanian Media Institute presented its research on media ownership and independence, discussing with the participants the main factors that influence media independence and the specific difficulties and advantages local media faces in this respect. Some of the topics discussed by lecturers were media financing, media advertisement, and transparency of funding in the media market. Participants stressed the need for transparency in the market, both in funding of the media and in guaranteeing regular work contracts for journalists as a key step in improving media ethics and independence.
Another topic addressed in the seminar was the main trends in corruption reporting. Given the pervasive phenomenon that corruption constitutes in Albanian life, public debate, and hence media coverage, lecturers discussed with journalists the main areas of corruption and on different angles of reporting on it. Some of the key issues discussed were the most recent international reports on the situation, the government efforts and plans to stall this phenomenon, the different angles and phenomena that media coverage can cover in this respect, etc. This seminar was organized by the Albanian Media Institute with the support of the Balkan Trust for Democracy.
TRAINING COURSE ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES
A training course on new technologies took place at the Albanian Media Institute on March 17-21, with the participation of 12 journalists from print and electronic media, as well as journalism students. The course aimed to introduce journalists to the main skills in using new technologies when reporting. Trainers introduced the participants to online journalism, current stage of its development, the main characteristics of this form of journalism, etc. The lecturers addressed specific ways that the participants could practice online journalism, including search engines in Internet and their specific features, catalogues and databases, the diverse search strategies, and the practical usage of Internet in today’s reporting. Other topics included writing for online media, blogs, forums, and adapting style for online writing. Introducing journalists to the main websites of interest to journalist, the trainers provided practical examples for the participants. This training course was organized by Albanian Media Institute with the support of Swedish Helsinki Committee.
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS HELD IN TIRANA
The third edition of the International Human Rights Film Festival was organized in Tirana on 19-23 March at the Marubi Film and Multimedia School. The main objective of this festival was to raise awareness on human rights and special needs persons through projection of brief documentaries, films, or other artistic works. During the festival, 28 films were projected, shedding light into the fate of individuals and people living in Europe, Asia, America, and Africa, focusing on human dilemmas, pain, suffering, regret, and torture, abuses and persecutions that occur in different part of the globe. The festival was organized and supported by the International Human Rights Education Consortium, the Albanian Helsinki Committee, Swiss Cooperation in Albania, Utica College, UNICEF, Italian Development and Cooperation, German Embassy in Albania, Albanian Media Institute, OSCE, Marubi Film and Multimedia School, etc.
TRAINING ON WEBMASTERS’ SKILLS
A training course focusing on webmasters and related skills was organized at the Albanian Media Institute on March 25 -27, with the participation of 10 journalists from print and electronic media. The course aimed to introduce journalists to the main principles and skills related to online journalism and basics needed to act as webmasters. Trainer Mitrulla Thodhori, IT expert, introduced the participants to online journalism, current stage of its development, the main characteristics of this form of journalism, etc. In her lecture she focused on specific ways that the participants could practice online journalism, including search engines in Internet and their specific features, catalogues and databases, the diverse search strategies, and the practical usage of Internet in today’s reporting. Other topics included writing for online media, blogs, forums, and adapting style for online writing. Introducing journalists to the main websites of interest to journalist, the trainers provided practical examples for the participants. This training course was organized by Albanian Media Institute with the support of Albanian Mobile Communications.
SEMINAR ON GOVERNANCE AND ANTI-CORRUPTION INDICATORS
A seminar on reporting of governance and anti-corruption indicators was carried out on March 31-April 2, with the participation of ten NGO representatives and 15 economy reporters from print media. The aim of this seminar was to introduce the participants with the main reports and indicators on governance and anti-corruption, as well as discuss the manners of interpreting and reporting on these reports. In this context, the main topics discussed were the definitions and analytical framework of governance and anti-corruption, perception and experience surveys, evaluation instruments, comparative studies and compilation surveys. Representatives from World Bank, Transparency International, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Institute for Development Research and Alternatives presented the main studies through the years in these areas. In addition, representatives from Albanian Media Institute discussed with the participants the main findings of a monitoring of media reports on these indicators. Reporters were also engaged in different exercises in this regard, combining theory and practice. The seminar was organized by the World Bank and the Albanian Media Institute.
JOURNALIST ASSAULTED BY MP
Besar Likmeta, the Albania editor for the online publication Balkan Insight, claimed he was assaulted by Member of Parliament Tom Doshi on March 10th in Tirana. This assault followed Likmeta’s investigation concerning forged diplomas in Albania. The investigated degrees included MP Tom Doshi’s law degree from Tetovo University. The investigative reporting uncovered that Tetovo University had informed the Education Ministry that Doshi never completed his studies. Soon thereafter, Doshi’s CV was removed from the website of the Albanian parliament, and Likmeta arranged to meet Doshi at the Sheraton Hotel in Tirana for an interview. During the interview, Doshi demanded why Likmeta was investigating the story, commenting that it was “extremely brave” to pursue the matter. According to Likmeta, Doshi then attacked him, hitting him with a leather briefcase. The journalist sustained a black eye and his glasses were broken.
|
