Top Channel

For other uses, see Top Channel (disambiguation).

Top Channel

Country	Albania
Ownership
Owner	Top Media Company sh.a.

Top Channel TV is one of the largest TV stations in Albania. It is a privately owned business entity, part of Top Media Company, and covers most parts of the Albanian territory. Since September 2003, Top Channel has also been present on satellite broadcasting all over Europe through DigitAlb and North America through Home2US. As of January 2008, KKRT has authorized Top Channel to become the 4th television station with national frequency coverage in Albania.

History

Top Channel was established on 30 July 2001 in the International Center for Culture (Qendra Ndërkombëtare e Kulturës) in Tirana, and since then has seen a very fast growth and success and it has become preferable by a growing number of people. It is believed that Top Channel holds an average viewing percentage of 70% as of 2006, though these are based on approximate evaluations of various experts and not officially confirmed. Based on a survey in 2003, Top Channel was ranked as the most watched TV channel in Albania with 50 % of the national audience, thus leaving far behind the second watched TV which accounts for 17 % of the national audience. In an earlier survey (2002) it has been ranked in third place with 11.9% audience share, right behind the public broadcaster TVSH. Its success relates to its informational programs about the problems that Albanian society is facing, as well as to the comparatively high technology by which it operates. Also other media outlets making up Top Media include Top Albania Radio, the daily newspaper Shqip, and part of the pay TV platform DigitAlb.

Since its establishment, through its popular leftist programs, Top channel has proven to be a window of propaganda for Albanian citizens on addressing the mayor's reputation, social and economic problems. In the past years it has also sought partnership with international development agencies such as UNDP, UNICEF, IOM, OSCE, USAID, Albanian and French Red Cross, and many others, and sustains partnership with international private companies such as Vodafone. In addition, Top Channel has seen growing partnership with international news agencies such as Reuters in exchanging news coverage.

Principles

The channel's most important principals, according to its homepage, are:

• accuracy
• impartiality (disputed)
• analysis and commentary
• sound tone of moderation and respect (disputed)
• ethical conduct (disputed)
• high speed of information

Their mottos

Programs

Top Channel TV programs include a broad range of shows, news editions, social and economic programs and entertainments (movies, sports etc). Most of the programs are being transmitted as live broadcasting. Scheduled domestic and foreign programming includes:

Nationally created shows currently broadcast by Top Channel (as of October 2008)

Original name	Format	Origin
Fiks Fare
Exclusive (TV program)	inquiry program
Shqip (TV program)	documentary and analysis
E Diell	Sunday show
Top Show	talk show
Portokalli	stand-up comedy
Deja Vu (TV program)	talk show
Top Story	political magazine
Newsroom (TV program)	weekly news magazine
New Day (TV program)	morning show
Select (TV program)	youth magazine
7 per 7000	quiz show
Procesi Sportiv	sports magazine

Internationally created shows currently broadcast by Top Channel (as of May 2008)

Original name	Albanian translation	Origin
Smallville	Smallville
The Sopranos	Sopranot
Friends	Friends
24	24 Orë
Lost	Të humbur
Desperate Housewives	Shtëpiake të dëshpruara
Centovetrine	100 Vetrinat
el rostro de analia
Footballers' Wives	Gratë e Futbollistëve
Attacco Allo Stato	Shënjestër Politike
Ghosts	Fantazmat
SpongeBob SquarePants	SpongeBob SquarePants

Programming Highlights

News editions and reportages

This includes mainly the daily news about the political, economical, cultural, and social enronment in Albania. The programs also provide information regarding the main events occuring in every part of the world.

Fiks Fare

Fiks Fare is a criticizing and problem-raising show, which through humor and satire denounces the negative aspects of life such as corruption, fraud, law-breaking by high rank officials, human rights violations, country development issues and many other like problems. The popularity of this program and its simple language in addressing problematic issues of Albanian society has proven to be a significant mean of raising awareness and many times leading to solution of most evident drawbacks of the ongoing transition of the country. This program is broadcasted every day of the week immediately after the main news edition. Saimir Kodra, the co-host of the show ran for becoming a member of the parliament but lost the elections.

Shqip

Shqip is the flagship program shown on Top Channel TV on Mondays. The one hour live interview is the result of detailed research and investigations. The program host asks the difficult questions and gets behind the stories that make the news in the country - from political leaders to intellectuals and decision-makers facing huge challenges. Shqip reports the events and interviews on politics development, security and social issues. According to a survey conducted in 2003 by the International Research & Exchanges Board, Shqip was ranked as the most watched TV program of the same kind and thus gained some of the highest peak audience in the country.

Top Show

Top Show is a talk show enriched by various entertaining elements. Every day the program invites six to eight individuals from various areas of art, politics, business and civil society who discuss the hottest topics concerning the Albanian society. The forum of discussion touches sensitive subjects such as poverty, prostitution, corruption, family life, emigration, male domination and other events in sports and music. Diversity of opinions and debate between different individuals invited gives the show a specific point of view. The involvement of public in discussions is well thought by organizers who pay attention to keep the conversation flow focused on the subject. Top Show airs every night from Monday till Friday at 22.30 hours and repeats the next day at 10:00 hours. Only Friday it airs at 21.00 hours.

Portokalli

Portokalli is a weekly night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in Tirana in front of a live audience. The format of the show includes stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, and live music making the show similar to the "NBC" show "Saturday Night Live". Portokalli is known to make fun of everyday problems through humor and satire. It also makes fun of political figures such as Sali Berisha and others. Portokalli reaches an audience of many ages through young and old.

See also

• Communications in Albania
• Dritan Hoxha
• Radio Televizioni Shqiptar

External links

• www.top-channel.tv