Media and the influences of a bad nation brand - analysizing how media affects nation brand improvements

Abstract

Very often have Albanians blamed the international media for the bad image the country purges in the global environment. Indeed the Image of Albania is of significant importance for the overall progress of the country. But the domestic media has equally influenced the bad nation brand perception that Albanians suffer. In this paper, the key ways how domestic media hinders the fostering of an improved image of the country shall be analyzed. The role of the internal perception to create and boost a better external “nation brand perception” shall be explained, while empirical findings will shed light on the reasons that make the domestic media the best influencer towards an upgraded reality. Is media a policy maker in the national promotion? Is the overwhelming “bad news” inclination of the media a factor to distress even positive aspects of a country? Is media homogenizing a cultural depressed attitude of the public submitted to bad governance and a “no hope for change” reality? This paper shall analyze a number of key factors like the ethical groups created by strong political divisions as dominant cultural categories for a national society, the re-definition of majorities and minorities with reference to opinion making process, the ways how domestic media consolidates a collective stereotype model of analysis, the way how the behavioral oriented sociology of media applies on the public at large as well as on key stakeholder groups, etc. Despite the limited amount of data available at this stage, this Paper allows for researchers of both sectorial and political fields to further elaborate topics of interest and to dig deeper into the findings.