 |
| Author Besar Likmeta, presenting the study |
The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN Albania) and the Science and Innovation Center for Development (SCiDEV) published two research reports today on disinformation and news manipulation in Albania.
From the observation of Russian, Chinese, and Iranian propaganda regarding events in Ukraine and beyond, it was found that Albanian media are careless in spreading fake news, but overall, they tend to disseminate pro-Ukraine news.
The authors claimed that Albanian newsrooms lack reporters and editors to inform themselves about international events and easily fall into the trap of amplifying inaccurate news.
The studies indicated that the influence of Russian, Chinese, and Iranian propaganda remains limited, even through the media outlets they have in the Albanian language.
Among the key findings of BIRN's study on disinformation in Albania, 41 false news stories about Russian aggression against Ukraine were discovered, which were repeated over 780 times during the past ten months.
More than half of them circulated in the media in Albania, while the rest were spread in Kosovo and North Macedonia.
False news mostly revolved around the number of victims, demonization of the enemy, and the expansion of the conflict.
However, pro-Ukraine news outnumbered pro-Russian news by two to one, and interactions with such news on social networks were significantly more in favor of Ukraine.
Besart Likmeta, one of the authors from BIRN, stated that errors with fake news are less common in radio, TV, and newspapers but are more prevalent on social networks and online media.
"Often, the republished news does not have an ideological profile. Media outlets republish them not with the intention of disseminating Russian disinformation but to gain clicks and attract more visitors to their websites, thus inadvertently falling victim to disinformation," said Mr. Likmeta to VOA.
Most online media outlets do not exercise caution in republishing news. A thorough search revealed that out of 380 registered disinformation reports, 86 of them, or 22% of the total, were disseminated by Albanian-language media.
These news stories were republished 377 times by 156 media outlets, with the majority (65%) originating from media based in Albania and fewer in Kosovo and North Macedonia.
"The average rate of false news or disinformation in Albanian media is comparable to the average in other Balkan countries as well as in more developed countries. Albania simply shows the weaknesses of its media, which lacks strong editorial structures. Newsrooms often lack reporters and dedicated editors for international topics, only republishing articles from other sources. We have noticed that the more republishing increases, the more disinformation spreads," Mr. Likmeta explained.
Iran and China's propaganda through Albanian-language media was part of a detailed analysis, which revealed that these media outlets raise doubts about the EU in their international writings and depict it as an economy with problems, strikes, and crises.
"In both cases, both in Chinese-language Albanian media and in Iranian media, especially the latter, a clear media coverage in favor of Russia regarding the conflict in Ukraine is noticed, as well as highlighting the difficulties of the European Union, challenges, tensions between EU countries or between the EU and the US. While in the case of China, there are more articles with economic propaganda in Albanian, intertwined with culture and current events. They amplify China's presence and influence in the Balkans," says Ms. Bino.
According to the survey on information in Albania, it was found that the public trusts TV stations the most, followed by traditional media and social networks, and much less trust in radio. More than 3/4 of the respondents stated that fake news is a problem in Albania.
The majority of them claimed to encounter disinformation every day and at least once a week, but only a few of them take the effort to verify news from more reliable sources.