When Arbana Osmani left Top Channel, many saw it as professional suicide. But last night, with over 200 viewers in the first episode of "Mirëbrëma yje", the well-known moderator who started her career at Top Albania Radio and became a national icon by moderating Big Brother for years, not only gave a strong punch to traditional television, but also proved that the media empires of yesterday are being shaken today by the digital revolution.
If anyone had any doubts about the power of YouTube over television, just look at how one of the highest paid moderators in the country just transformed her "divorce" from traditional television into a digital success story. In front of a record audience, Osmani demonstrated that there is no longer a need for cumbersome television structures to produce quality content – and more importantly, to attract viewers.
In fact, this move is part of a global trend that is shaking the foundations of traditional media. In Britain, Ofcom reports a dramatic 11% drop in TV viewership through 2024 alone. More shocking still, only 25% of young British people still watch traditional television. A real genocide of traditional ratings.
But while traditional television is scrambling to catch the last train of survival, YouTube is turning into a media empire with over 2.7 billion monthly active users. In the third quarter of 2024, YouTube generated $8.92 billion from advertising, reflecting a 12% increase over the same period last year. Content creators on the platform, including YouTube Premium and YouTube Music subscriptions that have already surpassed 100 million subscribers globally, generated over $50 billion in the last year – a figure that makes the budgets of traditional television look ridiculous.
MrBeast, YouTube's highest-paid star, earned $85 million in 2024, including revenue from his YouTube channels, brand collaborations and other business ventures. His net worth has reached around $700 million, making him not only a media phenomenon, but also one of the most financially successful creators in the world.
In Albania, Osmani's move may just be the beginning of a larger exodus. Moderators are realizing that they no longer have to accept the editorial control, rigid policies and outdated hierarchies of television. On YouTube, they are simultaneously owners, producers and stars of their own show.
But there is a price for this freedom. The Reuters Institute warns that 76% of traditional media are struggling to survive in the digital age. Investigative journalism and quality content risk being drowned in the sea of rumors and clickbait. Osmani's premiere itself, despite its success, focused more on the private lives of the guests than on matters of social weight.
Does this mean quality is being sacrificed on the altar of clicks? Maybe. But the reality is that the audience is voting with their finger - literally, clicking "subscribe" instead of the traditional channel. In a market where 85% of young viewers prefer on-demand content, traditional television is fighting a battle it may already have lost.
For the Albanian media, this is a decisive moment. Reuters predicts that by 2025, over 60% of traditional media will be forced to adopt a "digital-first" strategy simply to survive. The question is no longer if the digital revolution will happen, but who will survive it.
While Top Channel counts the losses after Osman's departure, one thing is clear: the wind of television monopolies is coming to an end. In the new digital age, even a single presenter with a camera and a YouTube account can challenge the media empires of yesterday. And the audience, it seems, is ready for this revolution.
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