A survey conducted recently by the Society for Democratic Culture (SDC) in Albania showed that Albanians consider private broadcast enterprises to be more objective in their reporting and more balanced in covering the ruling and opposition forces, the Albanian Daily News reported.

The survey was conducted during three randomly selected days in September and October. Pollsters also examined the news programming of state television, three private stations in Tirana, and one in Shijak. Reporters focused mainly on political news.

The survey also showed that neither President Rexhep Meidani nor the countryнs religious leaders make the news, while coverage of the prime minister and the government outstrip coverage of opposition happenings by five occasions to one at most stations.

Where do Albanians turn for news? According to the survey, three of 100 respondents trust gossip. One of five get it from Albanian state television, and independent newspapers come second with 16 percent of respondents, followed by private stations with 13 percent. Italian television and Euronews, the European Union news television station, commanded 12.4 percent, and radio holds one-tenth of the news audience. In addition, private television stations topped independent newspapers in credibility questions.

SDC pollsters questioned 1,120 Albanians, mainly in Tirana, all from central Albania.