AMERICAN INFLUENCE ON MEDIA DEMOCRATIZATION IN ALBANIA
AMERICAN INFLUENCE ON MEDIA DEMOCRATIZATION IN ALBANIA

Summary/Abstract: The article aims to make an analysis by identifying and describing all activities, projects and initiatives undertaken by the government, American institutions or organizations in the media sector in Albania after 1990. This contribution is extended to all aspects and professional and organizational phases of media. The first aspect of the analysis has to do with the US contribution in opening and consolidation of the Department of Journalism at the University of Tirana, to make it a laboratory to prepare, certify and graduate journalists of the free press era. In this context, there will be identified the number and the type of texts that have been recommended, translated and financed in order to form a rich, modern and up to date bibliography for students and professors of the Department of Journalism at the University of Tirana. A very useful and effective contribution in this respect is the possibility to have at the Department American lecturers and professionals to share their professional and academic experience! The second aspect, which was simultaneous with the first one, was the infrastructural support to the first free and democratic media. At a time when media was in poor conditions and lacking technology for printing newspapers, the International Media Fund donated the printing house "Democracia", where were printed the first six independent or opposition papers in the country. And the third aspect is related to what is considered "investment on the individual", by training media professionals, reporters, executives, managers and administrators of print and electronic, national and local media. This investment in human resources was conducted through short-term and medium-term trainings and comprehensive studies at Master level. It is difficult to measure exactly the effectiveness of this contribution, but what is for sure is that, it has a positive impact in the media market in ensuring standards of the profession.

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