Academician Bardh Rugova has evaluated the development of journalism in Kosovo, saying that the media here have built a tradition of journalism with social responsibility and have been an example in the region.
Speaking about the development of the media in Kosovo and Albania, Rugova emphasized that both countries have gone through different periods from controlled to free journalism.
“Albania and Kosovo have inherited in different stages the transition from a journalism of the totalitarian period to free ones”, he said.
According to Rugova, the medium of TIME has played an important role in this process since its establishment. He emphasized that for a long period, journalism in Kosovo has been at a higher level than in other countries of the region.
“When the TIME medium was opened, it started with social responsibility. It’s not just what we think, but let’s look for truths beyond what is our opinion. At that time, I was proud of Kosovo’s journalism, I think it was the best in the region, by far the best. It cannot be compared to journalism in Albania, Macedonia, or other countries, by far the best,” said Rugova.
Comparing the media development in Albania with that in Kosovo, he emphasized that the Albanian media had more financial resources and more modern infrastructure, but criticized the content of some of the television programs.
“Albania had televisions that had more money, more beautiful studios and shows that I called ‘porn of the uneducated'”, emphasized Rugova.
I prayed for public debate: We are replacing the search for truth with spectacle
Academician Bardh Rugova has said that the public debate in Kosovo is often replaced by the search for truth in the spectacle and media noise.
Speaking about the phenomenon of loud public debates, Rugova said that society is paying more and more importance to clashes and conflicts, instead of analyzing the facts and the essence of the issues.
“We replace the search for truth with a spectacle, and in a spectacle society this is required, will two people fight among themselves, will two people fight in the studio, will they curse. This produces a spectacle. The spectacle has no essence, it is itself”, he said in KTV’s “Konfront”.
According to Rugova, certain interests are often behind the creation of public noise, which aim to divert attention from real problems or scandals that may have occurred.
He emphasized that instead of analyzing the processes and finding the truth, the focus shifts to verbal clashes and the question of who won the debate.
“This is how the essence of the problem is lost. Instead of finding the truth and analyzing the process, we only see if someone beat the other with words”, Rugova stated.
The academician added that this phenomenon that occurs in Kosovo is related to various social factors, including the education system, describing it as one of the problems facing society.
