By Artan Fuga
Do TV journalists, especially show moderators who interview parliamentary candidates, understand their role before the public or not?
Without making absolute generalizations, I see men and women among them who fail to grasp their mission before the audience as they should.
Some ask a question, wait for an answer, and then read the next question as if it has nothing to do with the response they just received. That’s a deaf man’s debate.
Some stare at political candidates with pitying eyes as if they feel sorry for them—when, in fact, they should be tearing down their propaganda masks and exposing them for the public good.
Others focus on trivial matters—whether something was done or not—just to kill time and show off their fancy ties or low-cut dresses.
Some have no clue about the topics at hand, no grasp of the facts, and swallow whatever they’re told as if they were eating Elbasan sweets.
Then there are those who consider a debate “heated” when rival candidates talk over each other, pretending to argue while the audience understands absolutely nothing.
No visual data is ever presented.
Candidates’ statements are taken at face value.
No experts in the studio.
No TV connections with the audience or key stakeholders.
And then, we get the idiotic formula: one politician with a so-called “analyst” on the left, another politician with a so-called “analyst” on the right—like bodyguards flanking them—playing a meaningless ping-pong game.
Nothing about the candidates’ personalities.
The same old topics, ones even my grandfather knew in his time. Open lists, closed lists, Czech passports, Bulgarian IDs…
“I’m young, you’re old”—a debate drenched in genocidal and bullying undertones. A horror show!
And after all that, when the cameras are off, they go have a coffee with the candidates and part ways like in-laws exchanging wedding gifts.
Do you people realize you’re playing with the fate of Albania, or does no one give a damn?!
