a blind eye to abuses of the law. With USAID help, the National Council of Radio and Television (NCRT) was created to control the licensing of TV programming in Albania, and the Albanian parliament made amendments to the Copyright Law, which allowed NCRT to penalize those stations in noncompliance.
USAID’s Media Development program, combined with other activities, offers assistance in media legal framework, media institution development, and training to journalism students in fact-based reporting. USAID helped create the Forum for the Protection of Producers and Screenwriters as a mechanism to protect the property of the filmmakers and directors. Due to USAID’s help, the Copyright Law in Albania is now being enforced. Those that break the law are identified and must pay for the use of a film or will be referred to the NCRT for the removal of their license.
The Forum was officially recognized as a legally registered NGO on March 2004 by the Ministry of Culture responsible for the control of copyright issues in film. This endorsement by the ministry is a large step towards protecting authors’ rights and supporting the growth of business. The implementation of the law is a concerted effort that is being made by NCRT, the Forum, the court and the state. USAID has put the spotlight on those that breach the law, and has made it difficult for offenders to hide.
The enforcement of the Copyright Law is a strong indicator of Albania’s willingness to fight corruption and support anti-corruption activities. The impact on the film and TV industry in Albania has been positive and increased support for programming produced domestically. Since TV stations cannot afford the high-cost of international films, Albanian films are becoming very popular. USAID funds television programming produced by IREX in Albania including “Heroes,” which highlights citizen activism and community projects. “Heroes” has aired over 100 programs to date and is one of the most watched television programs in Albania. These shows are in demand since they no longer compete with Hollywood programming anymore.
|