Radio Televizioni Shqiptar
Encyclopedia
Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) (English
: Albanian Radio and Television) is the public broadcaster of Albania
, founded in 1938 in Tirana
.
RTSH runs three television
stations named Televizioni Shqiptar (TVSH, TVSH 2, and TVSH Sat), and three radio stations, using the name Radio Tirana. Four additional radio stations serve regionally. The international service broadcasts radio programmes in Albanian and seven other languages via medium wave (AM) and short wave (SW). and uses the theme from the song "Keputa një gjethe dafine" as its signature tune. The international television service via satellite
was launched since 1993 and aims at Albanian
communities in Kosovo
, Serbia
, Macedonia
, Montenegro
and northern Greece
, plus the Albanian diaspora
in the rest of Europe
. Since 1999, RTSH has been a member of the European Broadcasting Union
.
RTSH is funded by a combination of commercial advertising, a licence fee
of US$12.00 a year and grant-in-aid from the Albanian government.
, where King Zog I and Queen Geraldine Apponyi were among those taking part. One year earlier, a shortwave transmitter
with a power of 3 kW at 40 meters was put in operation in Laprake (Tirana) and intended mainly for communication, but was also used to broadcast 3 hours of programmes per day. The first broadcast consisted of choral singing, where Jorgji Truja and Marije Kraja sang an introductory piece, followed by the unique timber of Kaliopi Nushi's voice who pronounced the following phrase: "Mirëdita, kjo është Radio Tirana" (English
: Good day, this is Radio Tirana). This officially marked the first broadcast of Radio Tirana. In 1987, 66 hours of programmes were broadcast in 20 foreign languages every day.
. Its programmes had a reputation for being dull and boring.
During Albania's alliance with China in the 1960s and 1970s, Radio Tirana had to walk a fine line between being anti-West
whilst also being anti-Soviet
. As such, Radio Tirana kept close to the official policy of the People's Republic of China
, which was also both anti-West and anti-Soviet whilst still being socialist in tone. Following the break with China, programming still remained Marxist-Leninist in nature.
During the 1970s, the station broadcast to Europe on 1214 kHz, causing interference problems for the British BBC Radio One on the same frequency. During the 1980s and early 1990s the international service was broadcast on 1395 kHz (along with various short wave frequencies) and was received throughout Europe during the evening and through the night. Radio Tirana also upset many amateur radio
operators in Europe by operating transmitters in the 7 MHz (40 metre) amateur band.
In 1985, It broadcasts only 2:30 hours per day. It open at 20:00 and close at 22:30. Later, In 1986, Each day broadcast for 4 hours. From 17:00 to 18:30 and 20:00 to 22:30. Most of the programming in the communist days are propaganda and news programs only.
Political programming predominated during this period. Features included Marxism-Leninism – an Ever-Young and Scientific Doctrine and Socialism and the Youth. The feature Leafing Through the Marxist-Leninist Press reviewed the journals of foreign communist parties allied to the Albanian Party of Labour
. Other programs included Introducing You To Albania, Leafing Through Our Listeners' Letters, Culture and Art in Socialist Albania and The Song of Our Life. Radio Tirana also presented irregular programs of revolutionary music from around the world.
The interval signal
of Radio Tirana during this period was the first few bars of the Albanian revolutionary song With a Pickaxe in One Hand and a Rifle in the Other. This song also served as the signature tune of Radio Tirana's foreign language broadcasts. The pickaxe and rifle were part of the logo of Albanian Radio-Television during this period, and can be seen in the above photograph.
During the last months of the socialist era, overtly political programming was drastically scaled down, and the long-established practice of playing "The Internationale
" at the end of each broadcast was abandoned.
and Yugoslav RTV Titograd
were particularly affected. During the 60s, RAI used to be received in Tirana in decent quality. As time passed, the signal was strengthened by RTSH at Mount Dajti transmitter site only to broadcast the day's main news bulletin (TG1
), films, and children's programmes. It is observed that in the news program, reports containing music concerts and papal
activities, or even regular commercial spots used to be jammed. A similar phenomenon occurred with RTV Titograd's frequencies. In contrast, a widespread rumour of the time held that the homes of Albania's Party of Labour leader Enver Hoxha
and others close to him received foreign TV signals through a so-called "special cable", allowing them to watch foreign media uncensored.
After the fall of the communist system, Albania's TV frequencies started to be filled by a variety of Western broadcasters: from RAI
to CNN International
. In 2002, the practice was partially discontinued as Parliament passed a law outlining protective measures for the Albanian broadcasting industry.
field up to the mid 1990s, a period when privately owned radio and TV stations started to occupy the vast empty frequencies of Albania
. This caused a gradual brain-drain. Lured by higher wages and not only, numerous experienced journalists and employees left RTSH for the new media outlets. For instance, Albania's current popular political talk shows such as Opinion by Blendi Fevziu (formerly E Diela Debat) or Fokus by Robert Papa can track their beginnings at RTSH. Despite the brain-drain, the institution has held a leader's position in the production of programs pertaining to entertainment, civics, education and science.
One of the programs leaving a lasting impression was that of talented show-man Adi Krasta, entitled Rreth Fatit për 12-Javë. The show was embedded in a national lottery, something unseen before in Albania, ran on primetime state TV for about 5 hours non-stop, and offered tunes of famous American song ballads, such as (I've Had) The Time Of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, and famous hit song Auberge by British Blues icon Chris Rea
. In addition, American actor of Albanian descent James Belushi
offered his salutations to the Albanian people from the USA in an exclusive interview.
troupes from across Albania directed by Osman Mula, as well as other TV directors.
In the cultural field, a vast number of high quality documentaries are produced on national heritage topics such as on past and present cultural personalities, historical and cultural surveys of geographic regions, and news reports on various cultural gatherings. The Theater on the Screen segment features theater performances of past years both in the drama and comedy genres.
The journalistic field was represented by experienced iconic figures such as news anchors Tefta Radi, Roland Roshi, Arben Kamberi, Reiz Çiço and many others behind the stage.
RTSH also covers daily and special proceedings of the Parliament of Albania.
In 1998, journalists of RTV Pristina (now RTK)
were obliged to flee Pristina
as the situation in Kosovo was escalating
. They took temporal refuge in RTSH by anchoring specific news bulletins on their region's situation.
in the periphery of Tirana. As such, a number of Western broadcasters leased the sites to broadcast their own feed
s during the 1990s.
Additionally, TVSH was observed simulcasting Fox News Channel
at the night-time slot (apprx. 0000CET-0700CET) during the 2003 military campaign on Iraq.
, Marije Kraja, Kristaq Koço, Viktori Xhaçka and many others were first heard in the station's studios. In addition, Albanian personalities such as renowned actor Reshat Arbana, singer Vaçe Zela and Dr. Sulçebeg hosted the most popular programs.
has gradually improved. After the Second World War, noticeable improvements were observed in Albania's coverage with signal. Improvements were also noted in the external service, as the radio center of Shijak (Durrës) was opened in November 1961 equipped with 3 transmitters, 2 in shortwave intended for the external service.
In December 1965, a new building of Radio Tirana was inaugurated. During the upcoming years, a combined total of 18 medium and short wave transmitters were installed, part of which carried Radio Tirana's external service programmes for many years.
In 2003, an attractive TV news room studio was created, and the TV (TVSH) signal on VHF band in Tirana was strengthened. TVSH became available also on UHF and experimental broadcasts of the second TV channel TVSH 2 were initiated. Later, screen graphics experienced an extreme makeover.
The FM channel in the capital at 99,5 MHz was put on Stereo
, and the second radio program was expanded to 24 hours a day.
In 2007, RTSH launched its official webpage with daily news
briefs and a variety of information on its services. The online stream of Radio Tirana 3 was launched on 28 November 2008 by the German Radio 700 team while the Radio Tirana 1 stream was launched in January 2009.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Albanian Radio and Television) is the public broadcaster of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, founded in 1938 in Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
.
RTSH runs three television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
stations named Televizioni Shqiptar (TVSH, TVSH 2, and TVSH Sat), and three radio stations, using the name Radio Tirana. Four additional radio stations serve regionally. The international service broadcasts radio programmes in Albanian and seven other languages via medium wave (AM) and short wave (SW). and uses the theme from the song "Keputa një gjethe dafine" as its signature tune. The international television service via satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
was launched since 1993 and aims at Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
communities in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
and northern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, plus the Albanian diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
in the rest of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Since 1999, RTSH has been a member of the European Broadcasting Union
European Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union is a confederation of 74 broadcasting organisations from 56 countries, and 49 associate broadcasters from a further 25...
.
RTSH is funded by a combination of commercial advertising, a licence fee
Television licence
A television licence is an official licence required in many countries for the reception of television broadcasts...
of US$12.00 a year and grant-in-aid from the Albanian government.
History
The beginnings of RTSH date back to the creation of Radio Tirana. On 28 November 1938, the first Albanian radio station was inaugurated in a ceremony at the former building of the Municipality of TiranaTirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, where King Zog I and Queen Geraldine Apponyi were among those taking part. One year earlier, a shortwave transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
with a power of 3 kW at 40 meters was put in operation in Laprake (Tirana) and intended mainly for communication, but was also used to broadcast 3 hours of programmes per day. The first broadcast consisted of choral singing, where Jorgji Truja and Marije Kraja sang an introductory piece, followed by the unique timber of Kaliopi Nushi's voice who pronounced the following phrase: "Mirëdita, kjo është Radio Tirana" (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Good day, this is Radio Tirana). This officially marked the first broadcast of Radio Tirana. In 1987, 66 hours of programmes were broadcast in 20 foreign languages every day.
Rise of Albanian Television
In 1959, Radio Tirana's director by that time, Petro Kita, founded the first Experimental Television Center. The institute was meant to provide the basis for the latter Albanian television, TVSH. The first test programme was held on 29 April 1960, at 6:00 pm and was introduced by the journalist Stoli Beli. The official launch was set for 1 May 1960. Children movies and then adults’ programmes were broadcast, three times a week for about one hour. Television programs were regularly launched by 1971. Color broadcasts started in 1981, and became regular by 1982. In 2002 TVSH ranked second with an audience share of 17.1%. The second channel, TVSH 2, began experimental broadcasts in 2003.RTSH in the People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Despite the country's tiny size and isolationist policies, Radio Tirana was a fairly major international broadcaster during the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Its programmes had a reputation for being dull and boring.
During Albania's alliance with China in the 1960s and 1970s, Radio Tirana had to walk a fine line between being anti-West
Western Bloc
The Western Bloc or Capitalist Bloc during the Cold War refers to the powers allied with the United States and NATO against the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact...
whilst also being anti-Soviet
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
. As such, Radio Tirana kept close to the official policy of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, which was also both anti-West and anti-Soviet whilst still being socialist in tone. Following the break with China, programming still remained Marxist-Leninist in nature.
During the 1970s, the station broadcast to Europe on 1214 kHz, causing interference problems for the British BBC Radio One on the same frequency. During the 1980s and early 1990s the international service was broadcast on 1395 kHz (along with various short wave frequencies) and was received throughout Europe during the evening and through the night. Radio Tirana also upset many amateur radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
operators in Europe by operating transmitters in the 7 MHz (40 metre) amateur band.
In 1985, It broadcasts only 2:30 hours per day. It open at 20:00 and close at 22:30. Later, In 1986, Each day broadcast for 4 hours. From 17:00 to 18:30 and 20:00 to 22:30. Most of the programming in the communist days are propaganda and news programs only.
Political programming predominated during this period. Features included Marxism-Leninism – an Ever-Young and Scientific Doctrine and Socialism and the Youth. The feature Leafing Through the Marxist-Leninist Press reviewed the journals of foreign communist parties allied to the Albanian Party of Labour
Albanian Party of Labour
The Party of Labour of Albania was the sole legal political party in Albania during communist rule...
. Other programs included Introducing You To Albania, Leafing Through Our Listeners' Letters, Culture and Art in Socialist Albania and The Song of Our Life. Radio Tirana also presented irregular programs of revolutionary music from around the world.
The interval signal
Interval signal
An interval signal, or tuning signal, is a characteristic sound or musical phrase used in international broadcasting and by some domestic broadcasters...
of Radio Tirana during this period was the first few bars of the Albanian revolutionary song With a Pickaxe in One Hand and a Rifle in the Other. This song also served as the signature tune of Radio Tirana's foreign language broadcasts. The pickaxe and rifle were part of the logo of Albanian Radio-Television during this period, and can be seen in the above photograph.
During the last months of the socialist era, overtly political programming was drastically scaled down, and the long-established practice of playing "The Internationale
The Internationale
The Internationale is a famous socialist, communist, social-democratic and anarchist anthem.The Internationale became the anthem of international socialism, and gained particular fame under the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1944, when it was that communist state's de facto central anthem...
" at the end of each broadcast was abandoned.
Censorship and jamming of foreign broadcasts
A similar ideological battle took place on the television spectrum. The neighboring TV signals of Italian RAIRAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
and Yugoslav RTV Titograd
RTCG
Radio Television of Montenegro is the public broadcasting organization of Montenegro...
were particularly affected. During the 60s, RAI used to be received in Tirana in decent quality. As time passed, the signal was strengthened by RTSH at Mount Dajti transmitter site only to broadcast the day's main news bulletin (TG1
TG1
TG1 is the brand for Italian state-owned TV channel Rai 1's news programmes. They are shown domestically on Rai Uno and across the Europe on Rai News 24 and the world on Raitalia several times throughout the day...
), films, and children's programmes. It is observed that in the news program, reports containing music concerts and papal
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
activities, or even regular commercial spots used to be jammed. A similar phenomenon occurred with RTV Titograd's frequencies. In contrast, a widespread rumour of the time held that the homes of Albania's Party of Labour leader Enver Hoxha
Enver Hoxha
Enver Halil Hoxha was a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary andthe leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania...
and others close to him received foreign TV signals through a so-called "special cable", allowing them to watch foreign media uncensored.
After the fall of the communist system, Albania's TV frequencies started to be filled by a variety of Western broadcasters: from RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
to CNN International
CNN International
CNN International is an international English language television network that carries news, current affairs, politics, opinions, and business programming worldwide. CNN is one of the world's largest news organizations. It is owned by Time Warner, and is affiliated with CNN, which is mainly...
. In 2002, the practice was partially discontinued as Parliament passed a law outlining protective measures for the Albanian broadcasting industry.
Brain drain and experiments
RTSH has enjoyed a robust position in the Albanian broadcastingBroadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
field up to the mid 1990s, a period when privately owned radio and TV stations started to occupy the vast empty frequencies of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. This caused a gradual brain-drain. Lured by higher wages and not only, numerous experienced journalists and employees left RTSH for the new media outlets. For instance, Albania's current popular political talk shows such as Opinion by Blendi Fevziu (formerly E Diela Debat) or Fokus by Robert Papa can track their beginnings at RTSH. Despite the brain-drain, the institution has held a leader's position in the production of programs pertaining to entertainment, civics, education and science.
One of the programs leaving a lasting impression was that of talented show-man Adi Krasta, entitled Rreth Fatit për 12-Javë. The show was embedded in a national lottery, something unseen before in Albania, ran on primetime state TV for about 5 hours non-stop, and offered tunes of famous American song ballads, such as (I've Had) The Time Of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, and famous hit song Auberge by British Blues icon Chris Rea
Chris Rea
Chris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
. In addition, American actor of Albanian descent James Belushi
James Belushi
James Adam "Jim" Belushi is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is the younger brother of comic actor John Belushi.-Early life:Belushi was born in Chicago...
offered his salutations to the Albanian people from the USA in an exclusive interview.
Peculiar programmes
Another brilliant production is the End-Year Festive Concert, a yearly TV program styled as celebration for the New Year where a variety of humorous sketches are conducted by talented comedyComedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
troupes from across Albania directed by Osman Mula, as well as other TV directors.
In the cultural field, a vast number of high quality documentaries are produced on national heritage topics such as on past and present cultural personalities, historical and cultural surveys of geographic regions, and news reports on various cultural gatherings. The Theater on the Screen segment features theater performances of past years both in the drama and comedy genres.
The journalistic field was represented by experienced iconic figures such as news anchors Tefta Radi, Roland Roshi, Arben Kamberi, Reiz Çiço and many others behind the stage.
RTSH also covers daily and special proceedings of the Parliament of Albania.
Times of war
In 1997, in Albania, educational institutions were temporarily shut down due to the civil unrest. As a result, RTSH broadcast instructional programs for the barricaded youth, that made for a substitute to regular instruction. RTSH is known also for the vast number of shows for children and adolescents produced each year.In 1998, journalists of RTV Pristina (now RTK)
Radio Television of Kosovo
Radio Television of Kosovo is the public service broadcaster in Kosovo.It consists of the television service, broadcast on the terrestrial transmitter network and digital satellite , and two radio stations, Radio Kosovo and Radio Blue Sky...
were obliged to flee Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
as the situation in Kosovo was escalating
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
. They took temporal refuge in RTSH by anchoring specific news bulletins on their region's situation.
Foreign relay frequencies
RTSH owns and operates a vast number of transmitter sites throughout the country such as the Fushe Dajt and Dajt 1613m stations at Mount DajtMount Dajt
Mount Dajti National Park is situated 26 km east of the capital and 50 km east of Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa...
in the periphery of Tirana. As such, a number of Western broadcasters leased the sites to broadcast their own feed
Feed
Feed may refer to:In animal foodstuffs:* Compound feed, feedstuffs that are blended from various raw materials and additives* Fodder , any foodstuff that is used specifically to feed domesticated livestockIn computing:...
s during the 1990s.
Controversies and Criticisms
Allegations of bias in reporting have remained throughout the long history of RTSH. Critics and observers of the institution suggest that it leans towards the government's agenda and conclude that it unsuccessfully tries to reinvent itself as an independent public broadcaster.Additionally, TVSH was observed simulcasting Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
at the night-time slot (apprx. 0000CET-0700CET) during the 2003 military campaign on Iraq.
Radio Tirana as a symbol
Radio Tirana is seen by many as a symbol representing Albanian culture in the world. Through its educational, cultural, and informative programs, Radio Tirana has played a major role in the transmission of the Albanian people's cultural values. The station served as the first academy of Albanian literal language. In its archive can be found interesting historical artifacts such as a speech made by Fan Stilian Noli or the voice of Albanian arts' ambassador, Alexander Moissi. It served as a venue on which emerging Albanian artists first showcased their talents later becoming icons. The voices of Tefta Tashko-KoçoTefta Tashko-Koço
Tefta Tashko-Koço was a very well known Albanian singer of the 1930s. She was posthumously awarded the prestigious title People's Artist of Albania.-Life:...
, Marije Kraja, Kristaq Koço, Viktori Xhaçka and many others were first heard in the station's studios. In addition, Albanian personalities such as renowned actor Reshat Arbana, singer Vaçe Zela and Dr. Sulçebeg hosted the most popular programs.
TV
- Televizioni Shqiptar (TVSH) is the name of Albania's public televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
channel, part of RTSH. The domestic TV program is distributed analogically throughout the country. - TVSH Sat - Programi Satelitor, is the international version of the domestic program, broadcast to EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
free to air via satelliteSatelliteIn the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
. - TVSH 2 is the second public TV channel dedicated mainly to sports and planned to become a digital-only channel.
Nationally created shows currently broadcast by Televizioni Shqiptar (as of May 2008)
| Original name | Format | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Jo Vetëm Kafe | morning show | {Albania Albania Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea... |
| Hapësirë e Blertë | agricultural affairs | Albania |
| 7 X 7 | talk show | Albania |
| Log | Political | Albania |
| Zik-Zak | talk show | Albania |
| Netët e Klipit | awards gala | Albania |
| Rubrika Sportive | sport show | Albania |
| Troç | youth affairs | Albania |
| Skaner | investigative | Albania |
| Aktualitet Permes Shtypit | early morning show | Albania |
Internationally created shows currently broadcast by Televizioni Shqiptar (as of May 2009)
| Original name | Albanian translation | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ditari | Lajme nga Zëri i Amerikës | United States |
| Kurtuluş Kurtulus Kurtuluş, formerly known as Tatavla , is a cosmopolitan neighborhood of Şişli whose population consists of Turks, Greeks , Armenians , Kurds , and Jews... |
Çlirimi | Turkey |
| Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition... |
Festivali Evropian i Këngës | Europe |
Radio
- Radio Tirana 1 (Programi i Parë) is the name of Albania's first radio program.
- Radio Tirana 2 is the name of the second radio program targeted on the youth.
- Radio Tirana 3 (Programi i Tretë, Radio Tirana International is also used) is the name of the third program broadcasting on shortwave the international service. The international service broadcasts in AlbanianAlbanian languageAlbanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
, EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, ItalianItalian languageItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, SerbianSerbian languageSerbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
and TurkishTurkish languageTurkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
languages. - Radio Gjirokastra is the local version of RT in Gjirokastër, Albania
- Radio Korça is the RT local version in KorçëKorçëKorçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
, Albania - Radio Kukësi is the RT local version in KukësKukësKukës is a town in Albania located at 42.09°N, 20.43°E in the district and county with the same name. It has a population of about 16,000 . The town is set among the mountains of northern Albania. It is famous for its role during the Kosovo conflict for taking in 450,000 refugees from Kosovo...
, Albania - Radio Shkodra is the RT local version in ShkodërShkodërShkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
, Albania
Technical Improvements
On the technical aspect, the quality of Radio Tirana's broadcastingBroadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
has gradually improved. After the Second World War, noticeable improvements were observed in Albania's coverage with signal. Improvements were also noted in the external service, as the radio center of Shijak (Durrës) was opened in November 1961 equipped with 3 transmitters, 2 in shortwave intended for the external service.
In December 1965, a new building of Radio Tirana was inaugurated. During the upcoming years, a combined total of 18 medium and short wave transmitters were installed, part of which carried Radio Tirana's external service programmes for many years.
In 2003, an attractive TV news room studio was created, and the TV (TVSH) signal on VHF band in Tirana was strengthened. TVSH became available also on UHF and experimental broadcasts of the second TV channel TVSH 2 were initiated. Later, screen graphics experienced an extreme makeover.
The FM channel in the capital at 99,5 MHz was put on Stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
, and the second radio program was expanded to 24 hours a day.
In 2007, RTSH launched its official webpage with daily news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
briefs and a variety of information on its services. The online stream of Radio Tirana 3 was launched on 28 November 2008 by the German Radio 700 team while the Radio Tirana 1 stream was launched in January 2009.
Iconic Programmes
- RTSH is the producer of the annual national song competition, Festivali i Këngës. The winner of the competition goes on to represent Albania in the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. - RTSH has produced the most high-rated Albanian television series, Njerëz dhe Fate, Dhimbja e Dashurisë, and radio series Rruga me Pisha
- Miss Albania and Miss Europe were some of the fashion competitions organized by RTSH in the 90s.
See also
- Festivali i Këngës në RTSHFestivali I Këngës Në RTSHFestivali i Këngës is an Albanian song contest, organised by the Albanian national broadcaster Radio Televizioni Shqiptar . Since its beginnings in 1966 all performers have been required to perform live, with a jury or televote selecting the winner...
- Top ChannelTop ChannelTop Channel is a commercial television station with national frequency coverage in Tirana, Albania founded by media mogul Dritan Hoxha, and part of Top Media Group. Since September 2003, Top Channel became present on satellite broadcasting all over Europe through DigitAlb, and North America through...
- Television in Albania
- Radio in Albania
- Communications in AlbaniaCommunications in AlbaniaUntil 1990, Albania was one of the world's most isolated and controlled countries, and installation and maintenance of a modern system of international and domestic telecommunications was precluded. Callers previously needed operator assistance even to make domestic long-distance calls.Albania's...
- Eastern Bloc information disseminationEastern Bloc information disseminationEastern Bloc information dissemination was controlled directly by each country's Communist party, which controlled the state media, censorship and propaganda organs...