The Albanian media faces a battle to defend its independence in an environment where corporate and government advertising effectively dictates the rules.
On July 8, 2010 former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s wife, Cherie Booth, touched down in Tirana in a private jet to cut the red ribbon for a new TV Station, guest of Albanian oil tycoon Rezart Taci.

Taci had bought Alsat TV six months earlier, but was now in a bind following allegations of corruption and charges of assault, relating to accusations of beating up a journalist in a bar.

Cherie Booth’s endorsement provided a good opportunity for the multi-millionaire to brush up his image.

Taci described her visit as “priceless” and even dubbed Booth the “godmother” of the broadcaster.
A high-profile judge and human rights lawyer, Booth participated in the ceremony, underlining the importance of a free and independent media in a democratic society.

Three years on, Alsat TV, which was later renamed Albania Screen, is bankrupt, however, and the fortune of the oil tycoon has dwindled.

Some of the reporters that Booth met that day are now fighting Taci in court, after being laid-off following months in which they received no salaries and after the company failed to pay their social security contributions.

Alsat TV’s case is not unusual in Albania, where dozens of media outlets are owned by tycoons or MPs who use them to advance their businesses and political careers.

The journalists who work for them find themselves squeezed between a rock and hard place by political interests and financial pressures – in a market that is too poor and overcrowded to sustain so many independent outlets.

Most Albanian media are dependent on big corporate advertisers as their main source of revenue and internal emails show that they can easily skew editorial policy.

Government-sponsored ads are also an important source of income.

Data collected by Balkan Insight show that the bulk of state advertising has not gone TV stations with better ratings but to those who supported its policies./balkaninsight