PRISTINA, 24.12.2018 – The ‘We Are Social’ and ‘Hootsuite’ survey, introduced in the Global Digital 2018 report, reveals that there are now more than four billion people worldwide using the Internet and more than three billion people in the world using each month social media. Recent data suggests that nearly a quarter of new users were added only during 2017.
According to the report, the number of Internet users in 2018 is 4.021 billion people, increasing 7 percent year-on-year.
Meanwhile, from the results presented by the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) in the report ‘Information and Communication Technology Use Survey 2017’, in 2017, 88.8 percent of Kosovo’s families have access to the Internet.
This shows that social networks have become a necessity of time. Often they shape our attitudes towards different events.
Canadian researcher Marshall McLuhan has made a comparison that is related to how mass communication tools are affecting us.
“Like water that is a necessity for fish, so is mass communication becoming for people. This impact of the media on a person we only understand when we remain without these tools, just as the fish understands that it is wet only if it is left without water”, says McLuhan.
But besides the facilities, this overwhelming development of technology and the increasing use of social networks has its own negative side in relation to the work of journalists and information in general.
“Facebook policy”
So-called “social media” have become a new trend of politics.
Last years, and especially the year we are leaving behind, most state leaders have chosen social networks, namely facebook, as a communication tool with the public, but also with the media, thus largely disconnecting direct communication with journalists.
This has made it difficult for all journalists to work, especially in balancing the news.
Dardane Neziri, journalist at daily newspaper “Koha Ditore”, says that the declaration of state leaders through social networks, limits the work of journalists.
“The statements of the state officials on certain issues through social networks disable and limit the work of journalists to obtain full information about a particular issue. And not just journalists, but also disables the public to be sufficiently informed. These officials when making a statement on an issue are limited to speaking just as much as it suits them, “said Neziri.
Qendresa Fazliu, editor at the Blic newspaper, says social networks are an avoidance of the state leaders from responsibility, eliminating journalists’ questions, and making it difficult for day-to-day reporting.
“State leaders who are obliged to be accountable for their public actions, to the people, and through the media, have found a way out of this responsibility. This by eliminating direct questions from journalists, and consequently press conferences. The past year and the one we are closing is now mostly characterized by facebook policy by institutional leaders. This greatly hampers the work of a journalist who either is forced to make the news as the leader has sold it or to spend a long time trying to balance the news, seeking the other side of the news from other sources”, said Fazliu.
Politicians are avoiding questions and direct communication with journalists
The distribution and dissemination of information through the opportunities provided by the social media, according to the Professor of online journalism Ilire Zajmi-Rugova, enables the mobilization of a wider audience in new forms and ways.
“This communication of politicians through social media, ignoring standard forms of information dissemination such as press conferences, communications, avoids direct contact with the journalist. So, the politician directly contacts the audience in social media, without sweating from any journalist’s questions. The information “served on the plate” by the politician is the easiest form of communication. Because the politician “evaluates” what is news and what not. The journalist’s duty remains the first, the truth of the posting of information on the politician’s profile. Second, account verification on social networks. And thirdly, before being cited by the social media news, attempts are made to obtain confirmation via phone, email, or other forms of communication”, says Zajmi-Rugova.
The communications Professor and senior journalist, currently Advisor to Kosovo Prime Minister, Halil Matoshi says we need to be vigilant in receiving messages, especially from the social facebook network, because the fake news is expanding.
“Facebook personal profiles are being viewed as a platform for distributing political messages to many media addresses simultaneously and quickly. But the public should be vigilant to read the message to the end and see the source correctly, because false profiles and false news are expanding”, emphasized Matoshi.
Social Media, Trend of Postmodernity!?
“Social media” have turned the attention of the public and all journalists, with or without their desire. The myth of journalism, as a mediator between the public, bringing its mission high, has been “faded”. The public is already in direct contact with the state leaders, causing the media to gradually lose their function as the “Fourth Power.”
Sociologist Fadil Maloku says socio-political communication between the general public and politicians has become a kind of postmodern trend in our time.
“In the case of social networking in Kosovo society, this trend will increase, yet (more is being imposed as the “product” of a blind social imitation than any new political facility!) It has not reached the level of mass communication, which implies that our politicians do not yet have clear communication through social media (networks). And especially that of facebook, from which alternatives and positions are usually made pro et contra; driving, phenomena or even political statements. Because, by disabling journalistic feedback, they actually deprive the general public of “charm, seduction” and spontaneous judgment and attitude. That really alienate the politician as well as his attitude and judgment through this way of communion”, Maloku notes.
The future of reporting in this spirit will be problematic not only for the media in Kosovo but also for the most powerful international media.
Author: Vlora Azemi
This article is a production of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo under the project “Western Balkan’s Regional Platform for Advocating Media Freedom and Journalists Safety”, funded by the European Union. The content of this publication can in no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.