Albania

[AL] Developments in Electronic Media Market

IRIS 2005-8:1/10

Hamdi Jupe

Albanian Media Monitoring Center

The Keshilli Kombetar I Radiove dhe Televizioneve (National Council for Radio and Television), which is responsible for the licensing of the private radio and television stations in the country, decided in July 2005 to announce a competition for a new license on national private terrestrial analogue television. The decision followed the rejection of a bill on the digital terrestrial and satellite television in Albania by the Parliament in May 2005 (see IRIS 2005-7: 8). Thus the country has no approved action plan for the switch-over to digital broadcasting.

There are already two national private analogue broadcasters licensed in Albania. But they cover only 50 percent of the territory of the country, despite the legal obligation to cover not less than 90 percent of the territory and 90 percent of the population within six years of start of the licensed activity.

Since 2004 there are also two unlicensed private broadcasting companies, (Digitalb and Sat +), each of which broadcast more than 20 programs by terrestrial and satellite digital technology.

The latest decision of the National Council of Radio and Television for the licensing of a new national analog terrestrial television, in these circumstances, does not seem to establish more order in the electronic media market of the country.