KOSOVO

Media and Politics in Kosovo

By

[Name]

[Institution]

Abstract

The major aim and purpose behind conducting this study is to understand the major factors that have created a relationship between media and politics in Kosovo. This study will focus on understanding how these factors have played their role in formulating such an influential relation which has affected various facets of the media in Kosovo. This study will also look into how the journalistic practices have been impacted in such a manner that it has altered the development of Kosovo's civil society. This study will help us understand in detail the importance of having a civil society particularly by a country like Kosovo which has exoerience its share of hurdles and issues.

Research Porposal on Media and Politics in Kosovo

Background of study

Media plays a vital role in establishing civil liberties (Kirby, 2012). There has been a consistent day to day interplay between media and politics which can be considered a major contributing factor towards the democratization and development of civil liberties. The reason behind media playing such a pivotal role in establishing civil liberties can be based on the fact that the media provides a multitude of information which helps people all over the world understand the world, how it is consistently changing this facilitates people in making better decisions. A considerable number of scholars persistently claim that there is immense potential in the use of public relations through the media and non government organizations (NGO's) which would facilitate transitional nations by providing them with important public relations for the newly formulated nations. Whereas various scholars have criticized the usage of public relations claiming that it inculcated amongst the people Western concepts, ideas and standards of practice.

The significance of my study is to add to the growing body of literature on the ways in which the relationship between media and politics is enacted in transitional nations .Kosovo does not benefit from very liberal legislation for the media sector .Additionally, an underdeveloped economy and social realities between the political and media sectors means that journalists rely primarily, if not exclusively, on protocol journalism. Protocol journalism is a term, indicating that journalists and news organizations report simply what is said in news events like press conferences, speeches, pres releases and interviews without relaying in critical investigative reporting. Protocol journalism, to the extent that it is applied in Kosovo, produces two negative effects in the process of democratization of society. Firstly, it impedes the democratic media development in Kosovo, because the media, consciously or not, whilst applying protocol journalism, are at the service of the Government's interests, those of political parties and various interest groups. Second, as a result of the first, the media space and the media capacity for open discussions related to issues of public interest is narrowed. Consequently, civil society representatives are limited in their ability to exploit influential media outlets in their efforts to promote democratization in Kosovo, and along with various internal and external factors for instance the transparency of the government, the economy, the press, ...