The election campaign in Albania and political pressures on media ethics

2023-04-29 20:14:00, Politikë CNA

In Albania, field journalists who cover political activities today expressed concern about the violations of ethics in the media and the coverage of election campaigns with videos prepared by the parties.

They claimed that party candidates are isolated from the media and the latter are forced to broadcast audio-visual materials pre-prepared by parties and campaign headquarters.

Journalists from the political life in Albania joined today around a table with the organization "Democracy in Focus" and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation with the common concern that political pressures are forcing the media to violate the rules of professional ethics, and broadcast propaganda materials prepared by the parties.

They claimed that the excessive development of social networks and online media has put out of use the legal framework so far and according to them, this part should be completely reconstructed for the benefit of media ethics.

Merita Haklaj, one of the journalists with experience in reporting the country's political life, says that campaign activities are no longer with the former intensity of gatherings from morning to dinner, but the intensity of their reflection in the online media has been strengthened.

"The main limitation of journalists continues to be following the activities through centrally directed signals and those that the political parties themselves send to the newsrooms, no longer with tapes as before, now with electronic links, but it is still a problem. In practice, journalists sit in front of a computer in the newsroom and count the electoral activities and measure the relevant minutes. This is how what should be the main concern of a journalist in the campaign is lost: political messages, the platform of candidates and party leaders", says Mrs. Haklaj, reporter at Tv A2 CNN.

Another experienced reporter of political events, Ergys Gjençaj, says that for many years the media have been broadcasting ready-made tapes edited by party offices, while today ready-made links come, a concern that was raised yesterday in the last statement of the OSCE /ODIHR. This violation of ethics stems from the electoral law itself, he says.

" The media also faces the pressure of politics, which comes along with ready-made materials, as well as through not allowing the media to follow the electoral campaign, with all its gatherings, where they take place. The media's mission is first to maintain its integrity, despite all these pressures. On the other hand, the media and journalists respect the Electoral Code and the law. At the moment when it is sanctioned in the law that the media must accept these ready-made materials from political parties, then what should journalists do?! At the moment when we are forbidden to go and follow the news where it takes place, then working with journalistic ethics becomes almost impossible, and this is a big minus for the media", says Mr. Gjençaj, reporter at TV News24.

Vështirësitë dhe presionet e shumta politike i kanë shtyrë gazetarët që të bashkohen në Qendrën “Demokracia në Fokus”, ku të diskutojnë mbi raportimin e rregullt gjatë fushatës zgjedhore, në mënyrë që mediat të mbrojnë integritetin e tyre profesional.

Një nga nismëtarët e qendrës, gazetari Everest Dedaj, thotë se tashmë është bërë rutinë që mediat përdorin videot dhe mesazhet e edituara nga partitë politike, madje transmetojnë si tubime me shenjën drejtpërdrejt veprimtari, që janë filmuar disa ditë më pare.

" What is widely noticed is a centralized message, which comes edited by the electoral headquarters of the candidates in Tirana and unified throughout Albania. Citizens are not getting to really know the candidates and their true qualities, and this is because the media turns from a means of research and following the real campaign for the benefit of the citizens, to a transmitter of a concentrated message and transformed into propaganda , which comes ready from the electoral staffs of the candidates" , says Mr. Dedaj.

The OSCE/ODIHR International Observer Mission published yesterday the First Interim Report, which lists a number of issues such as two cases of violence during the electoral campaign, the polarization of the political environment, the lack of focus on platforms or programs by the candidates./VOA