Top Channel, a new beginning
07/09/2015 19:40
The Washington Agreement Must Be Reactivated! 06/01 19:04
Top Channel’s news department concluded today an important phase of its historic path. However, some of Top Channel will keep staying at the
“Pyramid”, the studio where 14 years ago started the first news edition
that was to become the main information window for the Albanian public.
In 2001, the courage and thinking of a media architect has marked the start of a revolution for the Albanian visual media.
Television by then had been no more than a mirror of the harsh economic reality of the Albanian society. But Dritan Hoxha’s plans had no intention to keep the country’s pace. He wanted to go faster and guide it further. Albania had already lost a huge amount of time. By building Top Channel, Dritan Hoxha started the engine of a machinery that rushed to catch on the lost time of everyone, not only his.
Many news reports were transmitted to the public from these studios. More investigative programs and reports were to be built in the future. Huge issues were reported from this newsroom, from the theft of the Gjipea Beach sand, to the appeals for help of the Albanian refugees who were struggling with death on January 9th 2004, on a sinking inflatable boat.
On December 19th 2005, Top Channel started informing the public from another studio, which kept reporting in favor of the citizens for 10 years, and went against the arrogance of government power. This studio witnessed the tragedy of Gerdec and the dramatic events of January 21st 2011. This studio reported live the NATO accession and historic events such as the first visit of a US President and that of Pope Francis to Tirana.
Top Channel not only invested in the highest end of technology, but also set standards for the Albanian visual media. It imposed a new level of audio and visual quality to the entire market, a higher standard of freedom of speech and democracy.
Media, the fourth power, gives today to the Albanian public more trust than the judiciary and governments. Most of the Albanian people see media as the place to denounce corruption and injustice, a power that was placed to this pedestal by the hard work and ambitions of Dritan Hoxha and the media he created.
Top Channel has moved today to newer and more modern studios, where technology is several steps ahead. The new and old programs of this season will bring newer things, but this is still Top Channel with its same mission, the same dream, same ambitions that now will simply move faster to catch up with the lost time.
Top Channel
