As part of the winter school “EU Integration and the Role of Youth in this Process,” the final session of the meetings with lecturers was held, focusing on “Citizen Journalism and Media Education – The Perspective of Media Freedom in Our Country and in the Framework of EU Standards.” This session was led by journalist and activist Erisa Kryeziu.
The meeting began with an overview of the history of media in Albania, from the beginnings of print media, the development of television, the role of media during the periods of dictatorship and democracy, to the various types of media that exist today. Through examples provided by the lecturer and experiences shared by the youth, discussions centered on opinions, facts, and fake news that are widely spread on social networks.
The conversation evolved into the topic of media ethics and the journalist’s code of ethics, examining the mechanisms available in cases of code violations, such as the Alliance for Ethical Media and the Complaints Council at AMA.
Erisa Kryeziu, as part of the independent community media Citizens Channel, also shared with the participants the challenges faced by the media and freedom of speech in the country. She highlighted a recent cyber attack that targeted the channel she works for, erasing a significant portion of their work.
Such attacks on independent media are a serious threat to press freedom and democracy, undermining the integrity of journalists’ work and limiting the spaces where they can operate without influence.
Finally, it was emphasized that media is supposed to be the fourth estate, but with the need for self-censorship among journalists and the lack of support for independent spaces of expression, the power that media should hold is weakened, rendering it non-functional.
With this meeting, we concluded the elements of the lectures as part of the winter school program.
