Top Channel is a national commercial television network based in Tirana, Albania, founded by

Dritan Hoxha Dritan Hoxha (16 October 1968 – 23 May 2008) was an Albanian businessman. He was the founder of Top Media, Albania's largest media company. Hoxha who started his business career as a coffee importer with the Lori Caffe, founded Top Media in ...

in 2001. In January 2008, Top Channel was awarded national frequency coverage by making it the third such channel in

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and share ...

. In 2009, it was the first Albanian channel to become available in 16:9 widescreen

high-definition television High-definition television (HD or HDTV) describes a television system which provides a substantially higher image resolution than the previous generation of technologies. The term has been used since 1936; in more recent times, it refers to the g ...

for selected programs. Since September 2003, Top Channel has been present on satellite by

broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began wi ...

all over Europe through

DigitAlb DigitAlb is an Albanian media, digital satellite and terrestrial TV platform based in Tirana, Albania. The TV platform began terrestrial broadcasts in July 2004, and satellite broadcasts by the end of that year. At the same time, DigitAlb beg ...

, and North America through TVALB and Shqip TV. The channel is available through

IPTV Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is the delivery of television content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. This is in contrast to delivery through traditional terrestrial, satellite, and cable television formats. Unlike downloaded med ...

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

and

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

, and through local cable in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. Top Channel forms part of Top Media Group together with Top Albania Radio, Top Gold Radio, My Music Radio, daily newspaper '' Shqip'', ''Shqip Magazine'', coffee producer Lori Caffe,

Digitalb DigitAlb is an Albanian media, digital satellite and terrestrial TV platform based in Tirana, Albania. The TV platform began terrestrial broadcasts in July 2004, and satellite broadcasts by the end of that year. At the same time, DigitAlb beg ...

Top News Top News is a 24-hour Albanian television news channel. Top News is owned by Top Media which also owns Top Channel and DigitAlb. Top News is available via DigitAlb on all three of its formats - satellite, terrestrial and via mobile phone and via ...

, VGA Studio, musicAL, and Imperial Cinemas.

History

Top Channel began experimental broadcasts on 30 July 2001 at the International Centre for Culture (''Qendra Ndërkombëtare e Kulturës'') also known as "the Pyramid" or former mausoleum of Enver Hoxha in Tirana (shortly called "Piramida"). Since then it has seen a very fast growth and success as it has become preferable by a growing number of people through the qualitative level of broadcasting technology and programs. As of 2006, it was believed that Top Channel held an average viewing rate of 70%, though these are based on approximate evaluations and not officially confirmed. In 2003, a survey ranked Top Channel as the most watched TV channel in Albania with 50% of the national audience, thus leaving far behind the second watched TV which accounted for 17%. One year earlier, it was ranked in third place with 11.9% behind the public broadcaster

TVSH Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (; en, "Albanian Radio and Television"; mostly called RTSH ) is an Albanian public broadcasting radio and television company. Founded in 1938, it operates several radio and television channels, over a domestic transmi ...

. Its success relates to its informational

programs Program, programme, programmer, or programming may refer to: Business and management * Program management, the process of managing several related projects * Time management * Program, a part of planning Arts and entertainment Audio * Progra ...

about the problems that Albanian

society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Soc ...

faces, as well as to the comparatively high technology by which it broadcasts. In the past years it has also sought partnership with

international development agencies International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

such as UNDP, UNICEF, IOM, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe,

USAID The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...

, Albanian and

French Red Cross The French Red Cross (french: Croix-Rouge française), or the CRF, is the national Red Cross Society in France founded in 1864 and originally known as the ''Société française de secours aux blessés militaires'' (SSBM). Recognized as a public ...

, and many others, and sustains partnership with international private companies such as

Vodafone Vodafone Group plc () is a British multinational telecommunications company. Its registered office and global headquarters are in Newbury, Berkshire, England. It predominantly operates services in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. , Vod ...

. In addition, Top Channel has seen growing partnership with international news agencies such as

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was est ...

in exchanging news coverage. Top Channel together with Top Albania Radio and Top Gold Radio were formed by former media mogul and Lori Caffe owner

, who later died in a car accident in downtown Tirana while driving his Ferrari. His wife, Vjollca Hoxha, has taken over the business since 2008.

Programmes

Top Channel's programmes include a broad range of mostly pre-recorded shows, news editions, social and economic programs and entertainments (movies, sports, etc.)

Programming highlights

News bulletins and reports

These include mainly daily news about the political, economical, cultural, and social environment in Albania. The programs also provide information regarding the main events occurring in every part of the world.

Fiks Fare

Fiks Fare ''Fiks Fare'' is a daily show on Albanian television station Top Channel. It premiered on 19 December 2002. It is co-hosted by Devis Muka and Dorian Ramaliu. Fiks Fare uses humor and satire to discuss negative aspects of society, such as corrupt ...

'' is a criticising and problem-raising show, which through humour and satire denounces the negative aspects of life such as corruption, fraud, law-breaking by high rank officials,

human rights violations Human rights are moral principles or normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for certain standards of hum ...

, 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 broadcast every day of the week immediately after the main news edition. Is the version of an Italian format "Striscia la Notizia".

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 The International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) is an international, nonprofit organization that specializes in global education and development. IREX works with partners in more than 100 countries. History IREX was established in 1968 by ...

, ''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. The program was presented by known journalist Rudina Xhunga. It stopped airing in September 2015.

Portokalli

'' Portokalli'' is a weekly night sketch comedy and

variety show Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical performances, sketch comedy, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is normally introduced by a co ...

filmed in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

in front of a live audience. It was first shown on 31 December 2003. The format of the show includes stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, and live music, making the show similar to NBC's ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...

''. Portokalli is known to make fun of everyday problems through humour and satire. It also makes fun of political figures such as Sali Berisha,

Edi Rama Edi Rama (born Edvin Kristaq Rama, 4 July 1964) is an Albanian politician, painter, writer, former university lecturer, publicist and former basketball player, who has served as the 33rd and current Prime Minister of Albania since 2013 and chairm ...

, Hashim Thaçi, Ramush Haradinaj and others. Portokalli reaches an audience of many ages through young and old, and has been criticised over the vulgar language often used.

References

External links

* {{Television in Albania Television networks in Albania Television channels and stations established in 2001 Mass media in Tirana