LESSON
Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania
The University of Elbasan thought association with the project helped increase the value of their communications programme as it provided activities for students that they could not afford on the school’s budget. This gave their school an edge over other universities which they said already attracted students from all over Albania in addition to students from the region (such as Kosovo and Montenegro). The Marlin Barleti University hopes that being the recipient of the project radio equipment and YouRadio portal will do the same for it. Both universities spoke of incorporating aspects of the project’s training manual and on community radio into their communications curriculum. If this is done, then the principles expressed in the training will be replicated in classes to come.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Report
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country