Albania

[AL] Role of the Media during Election Campaigns

IRIS 2003-8:1/34

Hamdi Jupe

Albanian Media Monitoring Center

On 19 June 2003 the Albanian Parliament passed amendments on the Electoral Code that define the role of the Albanian media during the electoral campaigns.

The amendments relating to the media mainly deal with the space and quality the electoral campaigns are granted especially in the information programs of public television. The private radio and televisions have to meet the same criteria as the public radio-television when reflecting the activity of the political parties.

The new amendments define penalties for the journalists, editors in charge and media owners, which at a maximum can lead to the cancellation of the radio activities and the private televisions in case of repeated and serious breaches of the rules as defined by the law. The Central Electoral Commission will be authorised to impose fines, whereas the National Council of Radio and Television may impose the temporary cancellation of the broadcasting permission.

The Central Electoral Commission is empowered to establish the Media Monitoring Board for monitoring the activity of the media during the electoral campaigns. It shall also prepare daily reports on how the electoral campaign is reflected by the media. All media are obliged to store the program material transmitted during the electoral campaign for a three-month period and to hold these archives at the disposal of the Central Electoral Commission.