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Original Article
Public relations in the Albanian telecommunication companies and their impact on the news

Alban Tartari

Abstract

Abstract Telecommunication companies in Albania remain the biggest advertisers in the Albanian media. This reality in the last 15 years, has an impact on the way that media observe these companies and promotes their news. It is seen that these companies have created a kind of immunity by the media because they contribute with advertisement budgets, so much needed by Albanian TV, newspapers and portals. They own very solid structures of PR that are supported by the marketing groups. They changed the way that the corporate news are created, and generally these news are similar to advertisements. Randomly these news are un-noted as promotional messages. Through this paper, are analysed some of these news structures which are a direct product of PR offices. They do not pass through any editorial filter of the media.

Original Article
Television as an extension of the office of promotion of cultural institutions in Albania

AnisaYmeri

Abstract

Cultural journalism on television has almost occupied a peripheral place at any time. Especially in recent years, the editorial executives are simply handling it as a transmitter of superficial information, which time and again is equal to brief news given by offices of these cultural institutions themselves. Evidence of this fact is the news, which always has in the centre of attention a new premiere show from the Opera and Ballet Theatre, National Theatre and other venues in Tirana, showing less from whole Albania; promotion of a new book or exhibition or the premiere show of a film or documentary, and almost never reflecting a critical viewpoint on them. In these circumstances, reporters have become only holders of microphones and mechanical professionals in preparing a TV chronicle, which, besides some surface information, almost in no case offer a different approach from what promotional offices would want to be. Under these conditions, the audience is finding less useful information about what film or theatre to see or book to buy or read. The same situation appears regarding the information about cultural or general programs on Albanian TV, which should be deeper. Even here, the object is still the official information coming from the press offices or rather the promotion and marketing offices of public and private cultural institutions. From the outcome of monitoring news broadcasts and press office announcements, it turns out that more than 70% of TV time regarding cultural news is based on press releases from public or private cultural institutions, but also from individuals who are holding the events. News that are the product of the reporter’s own research, investigation or addressing a critical art problem are peripheral and in some TV stations almost non-existent.

Original Article
Measurement of political marketing in the audio-visual media during election campaign – Case of local elections on 21 June 2015 in Albania

Arben Muka

Abstract

The way how radio and television operators cover an electoral campaign has been and remains a subject of discussion in order to improve their performance and editorial offices meet the professional and deontological requirements. Evaluation and analysis of specific subjects, or of the market in general is made with the monitoring of broadcast contents. The main focus of this paper is precisely on aspects of the monitoring process of audio and audio-visual media during the electoral process in Albania, the carried over or new features and phenomena. Referring specifically to the campaign event of local elections of 21 June 2015. By addressing the applied methodology, the management method, what market part the calculation of indicators of campaign coverage includes, in duration and contents of information and messages addressed to the public, etc. By identifying and analysing the concrete dynamics of how the monitoring infrastructure works and how much effect it has, the work is also an effort for proposals and ideas that improve the situation, in order to achieve a comprehensive and qualitative monitoring, also in response to the process of transfer of audio- visual broadcasts from analog to digital.

Original Article
Evolution of PR: The skills needed for practitioners in nowadays

Blerina Gjerazi

Abstract
This paper will be focused on the evolution of the profession of the public relations, identifying the skills needed by practitioners to provide their professional experience or to be a potential candidate to be employed in this profession. Through the analysis of 60 job vacancies of various agencies the paper addresses the following questions: How did the development of technology and social media have influenced the traditional practices of public relations?; What is the role of PR in social media?; What are the skills and abilities the practitioners of PR must have? Using the theories of communication and public relations intertwined with empirical evidences, the paper suggests that social media have affected the evolution of the profession, but did not reduce the importance of traditional practices of public relations. Growing demands of qualifying criteria for the PR practitioners encourages discussion of the acquisition of multi qualities and skills of pros, as well as about their role in the integration and strategic decision making.

KeyWords: Public relation, social media, online PR, traditional PR.

Original Article
Environmental issues between the government and the opposition, business and civil society

Denisa Xhoga

Environmental issues often create debate between government and opposition, civil society and industrial businesses. Between these four players stand as a referee the media. In this area the public relations of the government and opposition are clear, as well as are distinguished new forms of interaction between information with marketing and public relations. The biggest debates have begun with the request of businesses, for example, to build near the artificial lake, the importation of waste from Europe, with the government request for the import of chemical weapons, the establishment of Hydropower’s in Valbona and elsewhere, debate that open and reopen occasionally trying to find a social field for approval. Scenarios are always the same: the business; the industrial actors promote the political force that is in rule, to take legislative initiatives. These are made public through the media, which publishes the smell that is creating an absorbing debate audience. Media of all shapes, classic, off-line and on-line become the arena of “war”. According to media Couldry contains the keys to go to the authorities. According to him, media “the symbolic power” carries a broad impact on society more prominent than other forms of power, such as economic power. Following the publication of the initiative government media rises civil society, the examples of the past 5 years have shown how “civil society”, but ordinary citizens are organizing protests through calls made “on line”, by civil society actors. Online media, social networks and blogs have served as a means of protest action organization, supported and in some cases even promoted by the opposition. “This is the dynamics of mass communication” by Joseph Dominic explained. According to Tocqueville social thinkers have highlighted the

Original Article
Public relations office of religious institutions – the media’s role religious communities since 2010 – 2016

Elidon Dodaj

Abstract

The religious institutions in Albania suddenly flourished in the 1990 with the return of freedom of worship and religion, which had been cancelled (1967) by an article in the constitution that turned Albania into the only atheist country in the world; something that was reverberated throughout the international media. Regaining their institutional forms the religious communities in the nineties started to develop their offices of communication and public relations, their own media to this very day, which operate with special programs in the public and private media for different occasions. As an important instrument of communication between institutions as a transmitter of religious messages to the faithful audience the broadcasting today is realized by dozens of different channels. Starting from the traditional media as reception offices, offices of public relations, newspapers and magazines, radio, television, internet, onto the social media nowadays who have become a pretty concrete means to channel all kinds of messages. But, how many and how these messages are followed? Where remains the ‘spasm’ in some of those religious institutions? How many of those messages are public and are meant for everybody, and not only for the own crowd? Which are the external interventions? Cooperation with organizations in the civil society, business? These and others are some of the themes, which the complexity of public relations and the media of religious institutions confronts these last years in the public they address.

Original Article
From Journalism to Churnalism: The websites of Top Channel, Vizion Plus and Klan televisions

Elvin Luku

Abstract

Political news prevail in Top Channel, Klan and Vizion Plus televisions news edition. The journalist’s main sources are PR offices of the political parties, administration or government. The TV chronicles are pre-packaged and have almost the same footage and information. What makes a difference are the reporting nuances imposed by the editorial policies. Taking in consideration this submission, the question is how does the TV websites function? Are they considered as extension of this traditional media or they are conceived and function as purely online media? Are this websites oriented by the audience interest, online traffic or do they follow the same editorial policies? Do they have advertorial content? What about churnalism – the amount of the press releases, wire stories and pre-packaged materials used to create articles in these websites? This research is based on news stories published in the three main television websites; interviews with the editors in chief of these online media; audience overview based on the statistics of the “Traffic estimate” website; and some of the main contemporary authors of communication, online and social media.

Original Article
Personalization of political communication, role of social media

Erlis Çela

Abstract

Dissemination of social media platforms has brought a fundamental change in traditional public communication, which previously was a managing process managed exclusively by actors such as journalists, politicians and various interest groups. Politicians or individuals engaged in the press offices of different institutions are now increasingly choosing direct communication with the public through social media platforms. This has resulted in de-intermediation of public relations, mainly political actors, and beyond. Some of the pioneers of social media advocate that these changes are leading to a de-mediatized communication, have influenced positively on the quality of democracy by promoting citizen participation in public debate. This study is focused on the role that social media has in the transformation of political actors communication with the public, and the impact that this model can have of communication in shaping the public sphere. During the study there are analysed various authors approaches and real cases from the Albanian context of political communication. To conduct the study there will be used mainly qualitative research methods.

Original Article
Information in the era of social media: The case of the newspaper “Panorama”

Ervin Goci

Abstract

News is becoming more and more dependent on social media traffic, as the only way to be in touch with the audience. All figures show that social media are a key factor in generating clicks for the traditional outlets, crushing the role of direct clicking and search engine mediation. Audience behaviour is changing radically drawn in a fragmented media ecosystem with infinite sources for having news, splitting time dedicated to each news. Is this process going endlessly to a fragmented milieu with the risk of killing the news consuming process, or the media are going to find patterns that in the near future will involve the audience with longer news format and more engagement? Are the media relentlessly degrading in the logic of “clickbait”, converting the information as a common good to sell, ignoring totally the quality of the news, and killing the relation with the consumers? How is the Albanian media landscape reacting, during the digital transition for implementing renewed business models needed to survive in the new reality? Are they doing enough to integrate print media, with online publishing, creating a fusion between staff, human and economic resources, building perspectives for their businesses? In this article we will try to find some useful responses to our questions.

Original Article
The electoral news in the first page of newspaper

Eugent Kllapi

Abstract

It is known that during election periods the political commitment is a high level. Daily newspapers with a different construction, as much as the same function, address to the readers with headlines and it seems this is more apparent during the electoral campaign. Besides the multitude of titles that express a summary of current affairs, news has orientation function for the readers. The interdependence of the political agenda with the media is a function of the orientation of political discourse and policy- making function in society, but in addition, is added overemphasis on the political agenda while avoiding civic problems. What is the content of some newspapers during the elections? What are the main issues of this period and is there a thematisation of the headlines itself? What are political figures in this discourse? This study presents quantitative and a qualitative data analysis of the problems of the front page headlines of newspapers in 2015 during the local elections. These data will be analysed and structured, the headlines on the front page function in order to come to a conclusion regarding the discourse.

Original Article
Hijacking of news (newsjacking) – Conspiracy theories or tactic for international media consumption, Crimea and Kosovo

Eva Londo

Abstract

In March of 2014, when international media were reacting and opposed military intervention of the Russian army on the territory of Ukraine, in the province of Crimea, a strong statement of Russian President Vladimir Putin changed the media coverage of the event. He stated that “Crimea is Kosovo”. He stressed that “the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine is similar to the annexation of Kosovo from Serbia, and every other argument is just an attempt to break the rules applied in the case west of Kosovo.” This statement gave the start a media war that was not seen before, giving the public attention from the real event and catering to a kind of information that transcend diplomatic conspiracy channels. This paper will make a thorough analysis of how foreign policy uses public relations techniques to be present in the global media. On the other hand, the paper will make an analysis of how media become the subject of conspiracy theories in international relations

Original Article
Institutions’ PR versus the right to information, Albanian reality

Fatjon Cuka

Abstract

The evolution of public relations is interrelated with the development of the various practices and the relation between institutions and media, where a distinct issue is the fulfilment of the right to information, or more specifically the access to information. Thus, the relation between media and institutions has often been subject of discussion and an ongoing debate about the informing role of public relations regarding topics and issues of public interest. Are institutions’ PR oriented to respect the right to information and qualitative information to citizens? What facilities provide the press offices of central and local institutions for access to information to the media? Do media make use of the law on the right to information? How much media use the right to information to promote and provide transparency of public institutions? What is the role of information and communication technology to increase transparency and reliability of information? How Albanian institutions have responded to the media, civil society organizations to meet legal obligations regarding the right to information? These are some of the questions argued nowadays at a time when evolution of practices and relations between the institution’s public relations and media have occurred. The use of new information technologies and social media has increased significantly the level of communication between the institutions and the public, the political actors with the public and vice versa. In this new reality is more than relevant the discussion about the impact of public relations on the accuracy of the information and information covering various areas of society.

Original Article
The sophistication of the tactics of PR in the Municipality of Tirana

Gentiana Skura

Abstract

This article is tackling the subject of public relation of Tirana Municipality, the techniques which were used for the transmission of messages to the public audience, and the communication channels used by the PR team at this institution as well. The used methodology was based on the contemporary literature which has to do with public relation, in order to analyse the techniques used for PR.
In this article are used also the data obtained from monitoring of three televisions and online communication, starting from the period February – 1 to June – 1, when in Tirana has been raised the huge debate on the construction of the Games Park at the Tirana lake area. The televisions which have been monitored are: Top Channel, Klan and Vizion Plus TV in their central editions. Also, during this period of time has been followed the online- communications used by official sites of the institution and the mayor himself, and the other different social networks as well.

Original Article
Before electoral campaign as a political marketing news on Kosovo public television

Gjylie Rexha

Abstract

The news program of Radio television of Kosova becomes the platform to promote the electoral projects of political parties, even before the announcement of elections and the official beginning of electoral campaigns. During the pre-campaign period, public broadcaster (RTK) uses legal gap to expand the presentation of the political leadership activities in the news program, despite the fact that this violates professional standards and responsibilities of public broadcasters to the audience. Political communicators use the structure of the RTK news program, set up on the model of the pseudo-event, to promote electoral programs, in central parts of the news program of public television, which have to be dedicated to matters of public interest. With this approach, the editorial policy undermines RTK substantive quality of news and its “alliance” with the audience, because it does not provide the information which offers knowledge about political reality.

Original Article
Social networking and Kosovar political actors

Ilire Zajmi

Abstract

Social media are changing the nature of mass communication, challenging traditional media. They are used as a powerful platform for sharing and spreading of information, activities, promotion of institutions, of certain interest groups and individuals, but also political actors for different purposes. Sharing and spreading of information through possibilities provided by social media enables to mobilize wider audience in different ways. Politicians are using these opportunities, without any need to share information across journalist or traditional media. This paper aims to analyse use of social networks as a mean of sharing of information by Kosovan political actors and content shared. The paper analyses posts of three Kosovo politicians, prime minister Isa Mustafa, president Hashim Thaci and president of Kosovo Assembly Kadri Veseli in their profiles on social networks Facebook and Twitter, over a period of monitoring of fifteen days, during the month of December 2016.

Original Article
Journalism students Access to Public Relations in Albania

Jonila Godole

Abstract

This paper aims to introduce the approach of journalism students to PR-practices and public relations in general. The paper is based on empirical results obtained from an extensive survey with students of journalism in Tirana, Elbasan and Shkodra in 2015. The main goal is to analyse the priorities of students before emerging in the labour market and specifically their attitude to PR as field employment in the future. At a time when the boundaries between PR and classical journalism are becoming indecipherable, we are interested to know the attitude of the students of journalism to these developments. How endangered is the journalistic profession from interference of PR offices? How optimistic are they about the future of journalism? Where do they see themselves employed in the near future? Etc. The paper will attempt to answer these questions and others that will raise with concrete figures.

Original Article
New forms of advertising in audiovisual media

Loreta Zela Axhami

Abstract

For several decades, commercial television was based on 30- second advertising as the main source of income. Technological advancement created conditions that televisions and advertisers to apply new strategies and models of advertising such as product placement/brand, brand integration, branded entertainment (entertainment via brand), hidden advertising, advertorial, etc. These practices besides traditional coalescence of borders between advertising and media content produced both positive and negative effects. Research questions raised in this study are: how do these advertising tactics affect the content of audio-visual media? What deformations /deviances appear in media during their implementation? What is the role and influence of large advertisers in the deformed relationship between mass media and marketing/public relations practices? In the focus of this research are informative TVs, News 24, ABC News, Ora News and Top News compared with generalist national televisions Top Channel, Klan TV and Vizion Plus television. Since audio-visual operators continue to have problems with formal declaring of the quantitative advertising indicators, to conduct the study, we relied primarily on in-depth interviews conducted with heads of departments of television marketing, journalists, surveys and reports published by AMA (Audio-visual Media Authority). The study shows that either national generalist televisions or information televisions do not have many differences in terms of new forms of advertising they broadcast; in generalist televisions along with 30 second advertising there is an increase and misuse of product placement in the programs as a hidden and abusive way of communication of a commercial nature while in informative televisions dominates the phenomenon of broadcasting paid chronicles in newscasts, which is another form of hidden advertising. The use and abuse of the term “promotional message” is another common feature of television entities. Faced with financial pressure it seems that
*MA. LoretaZelaAxhami, Department of Journalism and Communication, University of Tirana. Email: media managers have focused more attention on attracting advertising/revenue generation rather than to the quality and informative space.

Original Article
Using Facebook in the public relations of political actors in Kosovo

Lumnije Bajrami

Abstract

Traditionally, until the emergence of new media, public relations of the economic and political actors were affected by the mass media. This was as a result of the intermediating role of the media with the audiences and voters. As a result of the emergence and popularization of new media and social networks in particular, this role began to wane significantly. While traditional media serve as a bridge between these parties, social networks today serve as a platform for online and are an effective means of communicating directly with target audiences. Having a low cost, being to operate and multimedia possibility, social networks are affecting in the process demediatization of the public relations. Facebook as one of the most popular social networks, it is used by politicians to communicate and interact with followers and potential voters. Kosovo politicians use Facebook and are very active in promoting their own personal views, to launch campaigns and discussions on certain issues. This paper aims to analyse this phenomenon and to compare the practice of using Facebook from the key figures of the main political leaders of the ruling and opposition parties as well as its influence in the process of demediatization of the public relations.
Key words: public relations, social networks, new media, mass media, audiences

Original Article
Information threatened by PR offices

Mentor Kikia

Abstract

Currently, traditional media in Albania is facing a reality that is transforming it into a transmitter of end-products, especially televisual, thus casting it out from its mission as a “watch dog” of democracy, supporting audience interest and needs. The publication of statements, especially of political ones, without verifying or requesting their authenticity, or publication of news provided by the source itself (that really stands within objectivity), has transformed media into an accomplice of inaccurate news dissemination. Furthermore, this has turned the media into a co- author of deception and public opinion manipulator. Public institutions, government, ministries, municipalities or other subordinate departments, nowadays own press offices, having as numerous staff as that of media editorial offices themselves, making the info production an industry in itself. PR is not anymore a way through which public institutions “fight” to protect or cure their image, but a way through which media is more strongly dominated, distorting its mission and changing it into a mere supplement of these offices. The Albanian public risks not to learn the truth ever, except the “truth” that others want to impose. Media, mainly electronic one, has totally become a “prey” of press offices and is subordinated from them. These practices have put traditional media in the position of facing very different realities, ever experienced. The question now is whether or not Albanian media should rebel against this obscure reality, in order to regain its position and to fulfil its duties by exercising its power.

Original Article
Strategies of manipulation through political communication and the use of Spin Doctors

Ramadan Çipuri

Abstract

Political Communication occurs through various methods. It includes individuals involved directly in politics or others who work and serve other people. Throughout history there have been numerous examples of advisors and individuals who are responsible for the image of political leaders. In Albania, the communication through the so-called Spin Doctors has widely been practiced, and it has been seen as a necessity by both sides of the Albanian politics. Experiences show that public information mainly passes through political communication in the form of distortion and in the worst scenario as a manipulation of the reality and truth. This study will explore the ways used for the distortion of the truth, including the problematic itself: manipulation through communication strategies. The paper also includes some other research issues, from which the strategies of information are found and these strategies pass through political communication. The study is based on a descriptive analysis, but sequentially analyses some specific cases to enable the inclusion of existing national framework. This study aims to conclude that regarding the manipulation through public communication, Albanian politics has followed the same pace with other countries of the world, but within its specifications, conditioned by numerous factor, there are included a lot of well-known names that carry for the image, its protection and development.

Original Article
Pastoral message as an important part of public relationship in religious institutions

Sokol Paja

Abstract

Pastoral message is a pure form of public communication in religious institutions, such a special communication that these ecclesiastical institutions react to certain situations, feasts, attitudes or events in the Albanian society. The message of each month, of three months or specific for different situations, represents a specific message in communication with the believers of religious institutions in Albania. Pastoral message is above all a call to reflection run believers, a public attitude held for religious institutions, is an explanatory communication and above all is a very specific communication between religion, believers and the entire society. In this paper, we will learn the tools and the organization of public relations in religious institutions, precisely in the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church and the Albanian Muslim Community during 2016. It will be taken into consideration the public communications as a form of pastoral message that these religious institutions are governing religious public and the society depending on events or different religious celebrations. Articles and reactions of these institutions will be closely seen in relation with nature of Pastoral message, by seeing the context, by seeing the articulator and above all by focusing on certain situations that caused the attitude of this public reaction to religions institutions. Also, we will see how it works and the difference that the “pastoral message” has from the common public communication of religious institutions.

Original Article
Communication between Parliament and NGOs, the contradictions of a relationship between public information and political marketing

Suela Musta

Abstract

One of the dilemmas of transparency between the public and the Parliament is the relation between the parliament, as the most representative political institution of the people and civil society. In parliamentary communication, the relations with NGO-s are a relatively new experience (after the 2000s) and it has approached to the quality of international experiences. The outcome of this relation, more than an informative process, or the transmitting of its problems in the Parliament floor, has mostly followed a ‘mediatisation strategy’, as a part of the marketing with the public from both sides. In this scientific cover age it will be in focus the communication between the Parliament and NGOs and analysing the people’s information dilemmas from one side and the role of parliamentary transparency on the other side, as part of the Public Relations of the institution itself. Media’s opinion as a key factor in information, it is considered necessary in the evaluation of the communication between the Parliament and the civil society. At this point of view, the rapport of the Parliament-NGO Communication, it is presented as a still unsolved problem in the definition of the information terms or public relations, where political marketing is also involved, as a part of this strategy. The topic will include the handling of document data, statistics figures, integrated, with interpretations and factors from both sides of the journalists who cover parliamentary activity. Key words: Civil commitment, parliamentary communication, transparency, e-parliament, e-participation, e-lobbying, e- consultation.

Thesis is peer review journal published by AAB College

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