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Media and Memory – How Traditional and Social Media Shape Historical Narratives in Albania

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The conference was successfully organized by the Institute for Democracy, Media, and Culture (IDMC) in cooperation with the Faculty of History and Philology at the University of Tirana, as part of the 10th edition of the Memory Days, at the premises of Europe House on February 24 in Tirana. The event was realized with the support of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) and funding from the European Union (EU).

The activity aimed to foster debate on the role of the media in shaping historical memory, present the first findings from media monitoring on reporting the past, and encourage discussion among journalists, researchers, and historians on the challenges encountered.

In his opening remarks, Silvio Gonzato, Ambassador of the EU to Albania, underlined that:

"The European Union supports efforts to confront the past as a fundamental pillar of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. Younger generations need to understand the disappearances, repression, and silence of the communist period to ensure that they are never repeated. Strengthening the rule of law is at the core of Albania's EU accession path. This means prioritizing human rights in all reforms, including transitional justice and reconciliation."

Luigj Ndou, Director of Government Relations at ICMP, emphasized ICMP's support for civil society organizations by empowering them to play a more active role in advocating for truth, justice, and memory preservation. He highlighted the essential role of the media in this process, as it reflects and amplifies the voices of victims, uncovers hidden truths, and keeps alive the memory of those who suffered, ensuring that the lessons of the past are not forgotten. "In the era of artificial intelligence and social media, history can be easily distorted or fragmented, so professionals must exercise greater care in historical narratives to preserve the integrity of the truth."

Jonila Godole, Executive Director of IDMC, presented the media monitoring study where 701 media contents were analyzed, mainly from television, while social media — particularly Facebook — had the highest number, with 346 contents related to historical memory.

The key findings she highlighted include:

Differentiation by Media Platforms:

  • Television: Neutral and balanced, with an analytical and objective approach;
  • Online Media: Focus on individual figures and personal stories, with well-documented articles;
  • OTT Platforms: Explanatory content but lacking in-depth academic studies;
  • Social Media: Tendencies toward bias and nostalgic views of communism, with subjective and emotional tones

Most Discussed Historical Topics:

  • Main periods: 1941–1944 and 1961–1981;
  • Commemorative approaches, often one-sided (either glorifying or accusatory);
  • Lack of alternative perspectives and balance in discussions

Transparency and Information Sources:

  • Television and online media rely on documented sources, though often without archival references;
  • Social media frequently does not cite sources, lowering credibility

Balancing Perspectives:

  • Television and online media maintain greater neutrality;
  • Social media is dominated by glorifying or accusatory narratives;
  • Self-promotion and subjective approaches are widespread, especially on social platforms

Academic Artan Fuga, part of the study team, emphasized:

"The subject that constructs the historical narrative is no longer the historian, but the influencer, the victim, the witness, the journalist. The historian remains at home, in their studio, or university halls, absent from the public debate. Why? There are 100 reasons – whether at universities, the Academy of Sciences, or institutes. Secondly, journalists cannot write history. It is unimaginable for journalists to make history without relying on theoretical frameworks. Thirdly, on social media, they do not make history, but they create memory."

The discussion of the findings was confirmed by the researchers in the panel.

  • Andi Pinari, emphasized the low engagement of historians in the media, as they often face attacks and hate speech.
  • Ermal Hasimja, emphasizes that the Albanian media presents communism with three main features: the transmission of communist propaganda through films of the time, the focus on the violence and suffering of Albanians, and the treatment of the regime as a thriller soap opera with intrigues between the main figures. This leads to the trivialization of totalitarianism and the manipulation of the perception of it, as an ordinary regime with its own conspiracies, pros and cons, avoiding ideological analysis. As a result, narratives are created such as “communism was good in theory, but Enver implemented it badly” or “it was not communism”. According to Hasimja, this is the most dramatic consequence of the media treatment of communism and proves the failure of society in educating the younger generations.
  • Jona Cenameri emphasized that social media is dominated mainly by images and comments that idealize the communist regime and dictatorship, often accompanied by nostalgia. Meanwhile, narratives about the crimes and persecutions of that period are completely absent.
  • Erblin Jaku noted that many articles focus on the role and power of Enver Hoxha, linking him to every action of the communist regime. There is also a tendency to treat his private life, including love stories and intrigues. Often, witnesses are unknown individuals, presented as historians or descendants of people involved in the events. Also, the lack of skills of journalists to ask the right questions and to handle interviews objectively is noted.

Dean of the Faculty of History and Philology, Mark Marku, commented:

"The glorifying discourse, which is terrifying, is 47%, without even counting the nuances that greatly lean toward an accepting, glorifying, or justifying discourse. This shows that in these 30 years, we have not managed to free society from nostalgia for communism."

The conference emphasized that improving media reporting requires greater transparency, verified sources, and cooperation between media and historians. Participants evaluated the findings as highly significant. A comprehensive report of the study will be drafted and presented in May 2025, offering a detailed overview of the findings and recommendations for improving media reporting and historical memory narratives.