Top Channel is a national commercial television network based in Tirana, Albania.[1] The network was founded by Dritan Hoxha in 2001,[2] the network forms part of Top Media Group together with Top Albania Radio, Top Gold Radio, My Music Radio, daily newspaper Shqip, Shqip Magazine, coffee producer Lori Caffe, Digitalb, Top News, VGA Studio, musicAL, and Imperial Cinemas.
In January 2008, Top Channel was awarded national frequency coverage by making it the third such channel in Albania. In 2009, it was the first Albanian channel to become available in 16:9 widescreen high-definition television for selected programs. Since September 2003, Top Channel has been present on satellite by broadcasting all over Europe through DigitAlb, and North America through TVALB and Shqip TV.[3] The channel is available through IPTV in Europe and North America, and through local cable in Switzerland.
Advertisement jingle
Top Channel's advertisement jingles are referenced with Lori Caffe, with an "o" transitioning to become a "b", to form the word "publicitet" meaning "publicity" in Albanian. This style was used for every publicity jingle that Top Channel used and it is still in use to this day.
Top Channel began experimental broadcasts on 30 July 2001 at the International Centre for Culture (Qendra Ndërkombëtare e Kulturës) also known as "the Pyramid" or former mausoleum of Enver Hoxha in Tirana. Since then it has seen a very fast growth and success as it has become preferable by a growing number of people through the qualitative level of broadcasting technology and programs.
Top Channel started broadcasts on December 20, 2001, and very quickly it became a generalist TV channel.
As of 2006, it was believed[weasel words] that Top Channel held an average viewing rate of 70%, though these are based on approximate evaluations and not officially confirmed. In 2003, a survey ranked Top Channel as the most watched TV channel in Albania with 50% of the national audience, thus leaving far behind the second watched station which accounted for 17%. One year earlier, it was ranked in third place with 11.9% behind the public broadcasterTVSH. Its success relates to its informational programs about the problems that Albanian society faces, as well as to the comparatively high technology by which it broadcasts.[4]
Since January 21, 2008, Top Channel is officially national.
Top Channel together with Top Albania Radio and Top Gold Radio were formed by former media mogul and Lori Caffe owner Dritan Hoxha, who later died in a car accident in downtown Tirana while driving his Ferrari. His wife, Vjollca Hoxha, has taken over the business since 2008.
On 27 March 2023, a "terrorist" attack on the Top Channel headquarters in Tirana resulted in the death of a guard, Pal Kola, who was shot with a Kalashnikov AK-47 from a Range Rover that was later found burnt.[5]
Top Channel's programmes include a broad range of mostly pre-recorded shows, news editions, social and economic programs and entertainments (movies, sports, etc.)
Programming highlights
News bulletins and reports
These include mainly daily news about the political, economic, cultural, and social environment in Albania. The programs also provide information regarding the main events occurring in every part of the world.
E Diell
E Diell is a show that airs every saturday since its foundation in 2008. It is a show where there are interviews, cultural dances, and even some talks about topics. Between 2008-2011, this show was hosted by Adi Krasta. Between 2011-2013 the show was hosted by Alban Dudushi and Xhemi Shehu. In the last part of every show between 2011-2013, there was also Kinema Kuiz, or Cinema Quiz, in which it is a quiz show in E Diell about Albanian movies.
In 2013-2014 only, the show was hosted by Ledion Liço. Between 2014-2016 the show got hosted again by Alban Dudushi and Xhemi Shehu. The show shut down in 2016 and Adi Krasta took over the show once again January 8th, 2017, with the song Prisencolinensinainciusol being the theme song of the show. He had took over the show again until 18 June, 2017. In 2019, Edi Manushi, who was the host of Procesi Sportiv, became the host of the show. He is still the host to this day.
Fiks Fare
Fiks Fare is a critical and problem-raising show, which through humour and satire denounces the negative aspects of life such as corruption, fraud, law-breaking by high-rank officials, human rights violations, national development issues and many other variable issues. The popularity of this program and its simple language in addressing problematic issues of Albanian society has proven to be a significant mean of raising awareness and many times leading to solution of most evident drawbacks of the ongoing transition of the country. This program is broadcast every day of the week immediately after the main news edition. It is the Albanian version of an Italian format named Striscia la Notizia.
Shqip
Shqip was the flagship program shown on Top Channel on Mondays. It first aired on May 3, 2002. The one-hour live interview is the result of detailed research and investigations. The program host asks the difficult questions and gets behind the stories that make the news in the nation; from political leaders to intellectuals and decision-makers facing huge challenges. Shqip reports the events and interviews on politics development, security and social issues. According to a survey conducted in 2003 by the International Research & Exchanges Board, Shqip was ranked as the most watched TV program of the same kind and thus gained some of the highest peak audience in the country. The program was presented by known journalist Rudina Xhunga. It stopped airing on September 7, 2015, and shortly after moved to "Dritare TV", as an independent web series.[6]
Ftesë Në 5
Ftesë Në 5 is an evening talk show that does interviews to people all around Albania and gives them topics to talk about. It was first created on September 3, 2018, and it is meant to be the successor to Pasdite në Top Channel, which was also an evening talk show that was broadcast until July 2018.
Portokalli
Portokalli is a weekly night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in Tirana in front of a live audience. It was first shown on 31 December 2003. The format of the show includes stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, and live music, making the show similar to NBC's Saturday Night Live. Portokalli is known to make fun of everyday problems through humour and satire. It also makes fun of political figures such as Sali Berisha, Alfred Moisiu, Lulzim Basha, Edi Rama, Hashim Thaçi, Ramush Haradinaj, and others. Portokalli reaches an audience of many ages through young and old, and has been criticised over the vulgar language often used. The show still airs to this day.
Top Story
Top Story is a hard talk program hosted by Sokol Balla which started to air on 26 October 2006 with the first ever topic of the show being "Ligji Elektorale" (Electoral Laws)[7] The show consists of political figures being interviewed, either with the host or as a political discussion between four politicians. Top Story broadcasts Monday and Tuesday at 21:00 (9 PM) and Wednesday at 22:00 (10 PM). The show stopped airing on 28 December 2017. The program aired again in April 7th, 2022 and still airs to this day. On 25 October 2022, Sokol Balla left Top Channel due to a heart attack and was replaced by Grida Duma in November 2022.[8] After recovering from his heart attack he joined an Albanian channel named ABC and made a similar show named "Real Story".
Top Show
Top Show is an Albanian talk show hosted by Alban Dudushi. Founded on December 31, 2003, where politicians, celebrities, and even activists talk about a topic or two. On February 14, 2013, Top Show Magazine was created for topics like culture, art, and others.[9] The show had aired for the last time on 10 March 2020, with Alban Dudushi leaving Top Channel shortly after and joining RTSH with a new program, also a talk show named "3D".[10]
Top Fest
Top Fest was an Albanian music competition organised by Top Channel. It began airing in 2004 with its last edition being in 2015. The event was annually held in Tirana, Albania.[11] The songs were usually performed in Albanian with artists from Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and other Albanian-speaking territories. From its 7th edition (2010), the participants performed their entries 100% live.[12]
Big Brother Albania
Big Brother Albania is the Albanian version of the Dutch reality competition franchise Big Brother created by producer John de Mol in 1997. It follows a number of contestants, known as housemates, who are isolated from the outside world for an extended period of time in a custom-built house. Each week, one of the housemates is evicted by a public vote, with the last housemate remaining winning a cash prize.[13] The series started airing on 24 February 2008 on Top Channel and it has had nine seasons to date. Arbana Osmani hosted the first seven seasons and the ninth season. Ledion Liço hosted the eighth season as Osmani was pregnant and took time off to be with her family.
The eviction show aired on Saturdays except for the seventh season where the eviction show was moved to Fridays. There are also two live pay-per-view channels available to watch when aired on Albanian pay TV platformDigitAlb.
