Sali Berisha's offensive statement against News24 The fact that it gives television space to Ervin Salianja and other opposing voices in the Democratic Party is not simply a spur-of-the-moment reaction. It is a deliberate attack, well-thought-out and based on an old logic, that "when you don't like the reflection, attack the mirror."
A media outlet that has given extraordinary space to the opposition and its leader, broadcasting it live on screen up to 5 times a day, at conferences, meetings, forums, rostrums, rallies and meetings, a media outlet that broadcasts opposition positions without filters and that continues to do so every day, is being rewarded with mud. Not for what it has done, but for what it refuses to do, to close the space for different voices within the same party.
The real problem here is the lack of tolerance for dissent. When a figure within the opposition is treated as “adopted” just because he does not follow the same line, then we are not dealing with a political debate, but with a culture of exclusion. Sali Berisha’s statement does not just hit a television station, but sends a frightening message to every journalist and every media outlet: Either you are with us unconditionally, or you are against us!
This is pressure.
Mr. Berisha!
It is not the media's job to keep alive the trust that you fail to build yourself.
If your stance is a result of despair that the public no longer believes you, that protests are reduced to a few people and fail to produce any effect, while civic anger over corruption or government affairs is erupting and you do not have the strength to capitalize on it, this is not the responsibility of the screen. It is a crisis of representation, a crisis of trust and a lack of leadership. And this is not covered up by attacking the media.
In fact, this is precisely the reason why the opposition fails to come to power. Because it wastes its energy fighting the media, instead of changing itself and building trust among citizens.
In these conditions News24 who fearlessly insists on always telling the truth and remains open to different opinions, is more trustworthy than the opposition itself.
The media has no duty to be obedient. It has a duty to be free. And whoever does not accept this is not fighting for democracy. He is fighting for control!
