Balkanweb.com
Balkanweb.com is one of the first online news portals in Albania, founded in 2002 by the Italian company Edisud Radio TV LLC. In 2011, Balkanweb.com changed ownership and was sold to the company Focus Media News LLC, together with television News 24 and the daily newspaper Gazeta Shqiptare for 5.9 Million EUR. Balkanweb.com covers news and information from all four corners of Albania with text, photo and video in real time. The portal also offers lighter news, gossip and transmits live the broadcast feed of News 24 TV, together with video from its shows. In response to an information request from MOM, the company Focus Media News LLC, referred to the portal as the main online source of news in Albania, declaring 2.6 million unique users for the period October-December 2017 and 41 million page views per month.
Audience Share
Missing Data
Ownership Type
private
Geographic Coverage
International
Content Type
free content
Media Companies / Groups
Focus Media Group
Ownership Structure
Balkanweb is one of the oldest news portals in Albania and it is owned by the “Focus Media News” LLC. The sole shareholder of “Focus Media News” is “Focus Group” LLC. The businessman Irfan Hysenbelliu is publicly known as the owner and the President of “Focus Group” LLC, but according to Albanian Business Registry, the proxy owner is his cousin, Bashkim Hysenbelli.
Voting Rights
Only the shareholder has the right to vote.
Individual Owner
General Information
Founding Year
2000
Affiliated Interests Founder
EDISUD LLC – is an Italian media company headquartered in the southern port city of Bari, which in 2002 was represented by President Giuseppe Lobuono. On March 26, 2002 the Italian company founded in Albania Edisud Radio TV, with a capital of 25 million Lek and active in radio and television. The legal representative of the company was Carlo Bollino, at the time a correspondent for the Italian news agency ANSA and executive manager of the Albanian daily newspaper Gazeta Shqiptare. On May 20, 2011, EDISUD sold its media holdings in Tirana, including its trademarks News 24, Gazeta Shqiptare, Milosao, Nderkombetare, Telegazeta, Blouetooth and Shqiptare, to Focus Media Group, which was owned by the late banker Artan Santo and the businessman Irfan Hysenbelliu.
Affiliated Interests Ceo
Mustafa Muco – has been a member of the Socialist Party and Minister of Economy and Privatization in the government headed by Ilir Meta in 2001. He was one of the founding members of Meta’s Socialist Movement for Integration in 2004, but later withdrew from active participation in politics. In July 2016, was named CEO of Focus Media News and continues to hold the position.
Affiliated Interests Editor-In-Chief
Matilda Arapi – is a journalist. She holds the position of editor in chief at Balkanweb news portal.
Affiliated Interests other important people
Vilma Mesarea Theodhosi – is the marketing director of media outlets of “Focus Media News” LLC.
Contact
Rruga Ali Demi, ish-Kombinati i Autotraktorëve,
Zyrat e Administratës, Tirana
Tel: +355(4)359104
Website: balkanweb.com
Financial Information
Revenue (in Mill. $)
Missing Data
Operating Profit (in Mill. $)
Missing Data
Advertising (in % of total funding)
Missing Data
Market Share
Missing Data
Further Information
Meta Data
The ownership structure and financial statement are publicly available on the Albanian National Business Registry. Although, financial data of Balkanweb are not separate from the company and its impossible to calculate. Focus Group replied to the MOM information request on 22 January 2018. See sources for more.
