The media plays a significant role in shaping public opinion, particularly on sensitive issues like migration. While research on migration discourse has focused heavily on receiving countries, sending and transit countries remain under-researched. This paper addresses this gap by examining Albanian media discourse on migration between 2015 and 2018. Albania, with a substantial diaspora, has recently transitioned from a primarily emigrant-sending country to a potential transit and destination country for migrants and refugees. The 2015 European refugee "crisis" exacerbated this shift, prompting increased media coverage of migration issues. However, prior research on Albanian media discourse on migration is limited. This study aims to comprehensively analyze this discourse by examining how migration is portrayed, mapping migration coverage, and considering the potential impact of media framing on public opinion. The study addresses the following questions: How is migration covered in the Albanian media? What is the orientation of Albanian media discourse on migration? Which frames predominate in the media discourse? The study analyzes Albania both as a country of origin and as a potential transit and host country.

The literature review examines existing research on migration coverage in the media, highlighting the influence of political and global events. Studies reveal variations in media coverage across countries, reflecting unique migration experiences and contexts. Developed countries often focus on migrant accommodation and irregular intake, while Central and Eastern European countries tend to concentrate on problems experienced by migrants and protests against them. Media discourse on migration is often politicized and negatively biased, portraying migrants and refugees as criminals, terrorists, or a threat to national security, economic stability, and cultural homogeneity. Negative portrayals tend to dehumanize migrants and reinforce negative attitudes. The review also explores prominent media frames on migration, including security threats, economic burdens, cultural threats, and the victimisation of migrants. Studies show that the use of negative framing, particularly those linking migration to crime or terrorism, tends to contribute negatively to public attitudes and shapes perceptions.

This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The quantitative phase involved monitoring 55 Albanian online media sources (newspapers and magazines) and 20 TV channels over four years (2015-2018). A total of 317 articles and 61 TV programs were identified using keywords related to migration (e.g., migration, emigrants, asylum seeker, refugee, etc.). The qualitative analysis, using MAXqda 2020 software, involved coding the discourse content to identify the tone (positive, negative, neutral) and predominant frames. The analysis focused on the volume of media coverage, the incidence of common themes and frames, and the overall tone of the discourse. Challenges included data duplication, difficulties accessing online archives, and filtering out unrelated articles. Data cleaning efforts were undertaken to address these challenges. The main pillars of the data analysis were: (a) the volume of the media coverage on migration; (b) the incidence of common codes, themes, and frames; and (c) the employed tone. Literature review was used to identify predominant media frames in the area of migration, which led and structured the process of the data analysis and reporting on themes and frames.

The study found a steady rise in Albanian media coverage of migration since the 2015 refugee crisis, with the most intensive coverage occurring in 2018. Dominant themes included migration and multiculturalism, return migration, demographic challenges, the refugee crisis, migration and EU policies, and asylum seeking. The media predominantly focused on "our migrants" (Albanians abroad), particularly their experiences with asylum seeking and integration challenges in EU countries. A distinction emerged between "our migrants" and "the other migrants" (those transiting through or seeking asylum in Albania). The analysis of the most frequent terms revealed that the term "emigrant" was most frequently used in Albanian media, followed by "refugee". Media discourse displayed a predominantly negative orientation, especially toward asylum seekers and refugees. This negativity intensified in later years, mirroring trends in other European countries. Positive discourse was mostly associated with success stories of Albanian migrants abroad. The study identified four main media frames: security, economic, social-demographic, and political. The security frame linked migration with crime and terrorism, the economic frame highlighted remittances as a positive economic contribution while portraying refugees as economic burdens, the socio-demographic frame focused on population aging and emigration's impact on social structures, and the political frame covered migration policies and regulations. The security frame was most prominent in 2016, while the political frame dominated in 2017 and 2018.

The findings highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of migration discourse in Albania. The dominance of the "our migrant" narrative reflects Albania's history as a sending country and the strong ties with its diaspora. However, the increasing focus on "the other migrants" signals Albania's evolving role in regional migration flows. The predominantly negative tone of the discourse, particularly concerning asylum seekers and refugees, raises concerns about potential xenophobia and discrimination. The study's findings demonstrate how media frames can shape public perceptions of migration, influencing attitudes and potentially hindering integration efforts. The study's findings underscore the importance of media literacy and the need for balanced and factual reporting to counter negative stereotypes and foster more inclusive public discourse. The study demonstrates that Albania’s media discourse on migration is not simply a reflection of events but actively shapes public opinion, particularly given the significant proportion of the population that directly or indirectly experiences migration. This influence needs further attention to counteract potentially damaging biases and promote more informed and sensitive discussions of migration.

This study provides valuable insights into the evolving Albanian media discourse on migration during a period of significant change. The findings reveal a complex interplay between national identity, economic concerns, and perceptions of security, as shaped by media representation. The persistent distinction between "our migrants" and "the other migrants" reveals a dynamic social and political context demanding further investigation. Future research could explore the long-term effects of media framing on public attitudes, examine the role of social media in shaping migration discourse, and analyze comparative studies across time to understand the influence of national policies on media representation. Continued monitoring of the evolving media landscape is crucial to understand how the narrative shifts, particularly given Albania's increasingly prominent role within broader regional migration trends.

The study's descriptive nature limits the ability to establish definitive connections between identified trends and specific socio-cultural, political, or historical contexts. The quantitative analysis, based primarily on keyword frequency, might not fully capture the nuances of the discourse. Future research employing qualitative methodologies would enhance analysis of discourse tonality and gain richer insights from diverse media formats. Additionally, access to complete media archives posed challenges, potentially influencing the representation of earlier periods, particularly 2015. Further qualitative research could explore the tonality and subtleties of the discourse and could explore the perspectives of specific media outlets or the coverage of particular events more deeply.