February 13 has been assigned as World Radio Day by UNESCO to commemorate the founding date of United Nations Radio in 1946.
On this occasion, the Audiovisual Media Authority organized a meeting with audio service providers in the premises of the New Library of the city of Korçë.
The President of the Authority, Armela Krasniqi, said in her speech that “remembering this day, the intention is to draw attention to the role and influence of this medium in society, to promote the adaptation of editorial performance to rapid technological developments and the large-scale spread of internet”.
For Ms. Krasniqi, radio is very powerful because it quickly reaches a wider audience and allows people within that audience to interact with one another more easily than other media.
Jorgjeta Gjançi, one of the oldest employees of Radio Korça, praised the role that radio has in society, especially in difficult times for everyone. “After Radio Tirana, on April 27, 1941, was founded Radio Korça. But also other radios, Radio Kukësi, Radio Gjirokastra, Radio Shkodra have done an estimable job, but our reference has been and remains Radio Tirana”.
AMA paid and is currently paying attention to monitoring the performance of radios through the facilitation of licensing / re-licensing procedures; has supported the radio newsrooms in coping with the COVID-19 situation, reducing the financial obligation according to the level of the signal coverage area.
The President of AMA said during the discussions that this date and meeting place Korça was chosen to discuss the Draft Radio Regulations that AMA has in the process of public consultation with the aim of sharing opinions and proposals with newsrooms to create ease of procedures, transparency and guarantee an economic competition in the market.
There were discussions from the participants about the extension of the license validity, facilitation of re-licensing procedures, as well as taking into account the media background for existing entities, the extension of AMA awareness campaigns and in local radios, the criteria for obtaining authorization for online radios.
This meeting was attended by representatives from private and public radios in Korçë, Tirana, Elbasan, Vlorë, Lushnjë and Berat.
The next meeting for the continuation of the public consultation on the Draft Regulation on audio services will take place in Shkodër.
