This article has been written for Albanian Free Press newspaper and www.afp.al
The election campaign for the June 25 elections has now reached its peak. From what we have seen in the past 11 days, we have a clear picture of all the parties and candidates and it is believed that there will be no surprises on how things will go until 23 June, when this campaign ends. But in reality, there are two election campaigns: One of them is on the ground. It’s the big one, the most pompous one which can only be seen by the eye. The other one consists of the campaign that is created in TV studios in a careful manner, full of acting, which can only be seen on TV.
The first one resembles to a theater play. If you don’t buy a ticket and go to see it for yourself, you will not have the slightest idea of what it’s like, although others may talk to you about it. The second one resembles to a feature movie with scenes, acting, stunts, real and unreal scenarios which one can follow in the cinema, TV or YouTube, livestream, Facebook, etc. The second one is the most important one and politicians have invested all their energies on this one rather than the first one, because Albanian politicians are aware of what the former US president, Barack Obama used to say: I am the one that the media says I am. The sudden solution of the political crisis was unexpected for a part of people. The Democratic Party started it where the “tent” ended it.
For the Socialist Party, this electoral campaign is even more organized than when it was in opposition. Its engine has been fired since the month of April. Its public relations offices have made sure that they keep in mind not only the biggest networks, but every TV space that exist in the 28 thousand square kilometers of the country. Candidates and their specialists for the media and their media technology have been dispatched in different constituencies.
The Democratic Party has more spontaneity, however, the organization is the same as it was before the campaign; with an office that coordinates everything and the political staffs that are coordinated with the TV networks.
But something different happens with SMI. This party doesn’t have a proper electoral headquarter like the SP and DP have, but each person and each electoral staff in the constituency have their own PR. An important role is played here by the heads of these structures.
Meanwhile, news bulletins have been inundated by news of the campaign and the battles between political parties and the candidates are measured by the frequency that their activities and faces appear on screen.
However, TV studios are the most important machinery for them in this campaign. From Monday to Sunday and from morning to evening, the program is filled with political shows. These themes also occupies shows which have no relation whatsoever with the campaign. In one case, a candidate decided to cook on-air, although he may have never cooked all his life, with the only purpose of conveying his ideas to voters.
The guests have been divided into many categories. The first ones are the party leaders. Edi Rama, Lulzim Basha, Petrit Vasili, Ben Blushi, Shpetim Idrizi, etc, are everywhere. Although they appear in every news bulletin, from the first story to the last one, they are also present in the studio. The second category includes the party candidates. They are well articulated and they know how to hold a good debate, but when the need arises, they disrupt the opponent’s messages. At times they know how to make the show interesting, but at times, they make you want to turn off the TV, although nobody turns it off. The second category of guests includes those who insist to be invited. These are more professional, more articulating, they lack militancy and they know how to speak without repeating themselves. The fourth category includes analysts. Among them, there are some of those who are not under the influence of any political party and those who always express their personal opinion, although they too vote someone. But there are analysts who before going to a TV studio, they rehearse at the headquarters of the party that they prefer, thus becoming their puppet. There are also the so called analysts who go from one studio to another and say God knows what, but this doesn’t matter. Journalists know this too and they know what journalists think, however, this continues as if nothing has happened.
The monitoring by the Monitoring Board at the Central Election Commission is the most serious part of the studios. This is a commission of journalists who are supplied by the measurements made by the Audio-Visual Authority. This commission issues a report every day and every week. This is the most evident part, because viewers have no idea as to how many minutes should be given to the SP, how many minutes should be given to the DP and how many minutes should be given to SMI or any other party for that matter. However, this doesn’t end here. But where do the minutes given to Edi Rama fall into? The space given to the Prime Minister or the Socialist Party? What about Ilir Meta? The space given to the presidency or Socialist Movement for Integration? The dilemma between the head and the Monitoring Board has not yet been solved.
All of this is a picture which shows the visible and invisible part of the campaign. It also shows a battle between the first and second way of how to campaign. They are the same thing, but they compete against one another. We can even say that these elections will be won by the one who will win the battle of the screens. To be more accurate, the one who will win the battle in TV studios.
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Note: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press’ editorial policy.
