Revisiting Hallin and Mancini's Media Model: Albania and Kosovo

Abstract

This study aims to examine the professional standards of journalists in Albania and Kosovo to determine the relevance of Hallin and Mancini's media system in the age of digital journalism and social media. This is because the media system continues to be an important analytical tool for understanding the fundamental characteristics of national media and comparing media sectors across countries. A qualitative method was utilized to elucidate this, with semi-structured interviews performed with 22 television and digital journalism editors and journalists, as well as social media managers in Albania and Kosovo. The findings indicate that although television stations continue to target traditional audiences using professional journalism standards, journalists in digital journalism and social media compromise on professional standards to give the public what they want. Although Hallin and Mancini’s media system as an analytical framework for evaluating media models remains useful, the criteria for evaluating them should be changed in light of changes in the media environment over the last two decades.