20 December 2012 Last updated at 04:58 ET

Albania profile

• Overview
• Facts
• Leaders
• Media
• Timeline

Private broadcasters have mushroomed

Public broadcaster Albanian Radio and TV (RTSh) operates national radio and TV networks. It faces competition from scores of privately-owned outlets.

TV is the most influential medium. Many viewers watch Italian and Greek stations via terrestrial reception. The BBC (103.9 MHz in Tirana), Deutsche Welle, Radio France Internationale and the Voice of America are carried on FM.

Sensationalism is often the norm in the print media. There are some 150 newspaper titles, including 23 dailies. Political parties publish their own titles.

The constitution guarantees free expression, but the "intermingling of powerful business, political, and media interests" has inhibited the development of independent outlets, said US-based Freedom House in 2012. Reporters are subject to legal pressure, and in some cases physical attacks, it added.

Some 1.4 million Albanians were online by June 2012 (InternetWorldStats.com). There are more than 1 million Facebook users (Socialbakers.com).

The press

Several Albanian papers are available online

• Shekulli - private daily
• Gazeta Shqiptare - private daily
• Panorama - private daily
• Rilindja Demokratike - Democratic Party daily
• Koha Ditore - private daily
• Zeri i Popullit - Socialist Party daily
• Koha Jone - private daily
• Albanian Daily News - English-language news site
• Tirana Times - English-language weekly

Television

• Albanian Radio and TV (RTSh) - public, operates two networks
• Top Channel - private
• TV Klan - private
• DigitAlb - pay TV

Radio

• Albanian Radio and TV (RTSh) - public broadcaster
• Top Albania Radio - national, private
• +2 Radio - national, private

News agency

• Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) - English-language pages