Hoxha Family

Hoxha Family

Hoxha family controls one of the biggest media houses in Albania with the flagship name TOP, as in TOP Channel, TOP News, TOP Albania Radio etc. Dritan Hoxha, a controversial businessman who started his career as a coffee importer, founded Top media and was dubbed a ‘pioneer of digital media’ in the region. Dritan Hoxha started his media empire by founding Top Albania Radio in 1998 and three years later Top Channel TV, which in a short period of time became the most popular television in Albania, due to his staff of famous journalists and cutting-edge technology.

In 2004 Hoxha launched the pay-per-view platform DigitAlb, which strengthened further his media conglomerate, Top Media. Hoxha died on May 23, 2008 at the age of 40, in a deadly accident with his Ferrari 599. His funeral was attended by high state dignitaries of the time, such as President Bamir Topi and current Prime Minister Edi Rama.

After his death, his widow Vjollca and their four children, Lorela, Sara, Redia and Itan inherited his companies. However, Vjollca kept a low public profile until 2015, when she took over the administration of Top Channel JSC and filed a lawsuit against two of its shareholders, Albert Sino and Aurel Baci, who she accused of acquiring the stakes in the company illegally. Hoxha won the case on 28 June 2017 and took control of 100% of the shares of Top Channel JSC, together with her children.

In addition to Top Channel, the Hoxha family owns 51% of DigitAlb, Top Albania Radio, the online portal Gazeta-Shqip.com, SARAS publishing house, the music distribution company My Music and shares at the telecommunication company Plus. Since 2014, Top Channel JSC is involved in a joint venture company called Hightel Tower Albania, together with its main competitor TV Klan and the businessman Samir Mane.

Media Companies / Groups
Media Outlets
Facts

Business

Digital Distribution networks

ADTN (51%)

Sport licensing

DigitAlb (51%)

Publishing house

Saras (100%)

Digital Broadcasting

DigitAlb (51%)

Satellite Broadcasting

DigitAlb (51%)

Teleshopping

DigitAlb (51%)

Telecommunications

Hightel Towers Albania (4.42%)

Television Broadcasting

Top Channel (100%)

Radio Broadcasting

Top Albania Radio (80%)

Trade

Valtelina (49%)

Music Production

My Music (100%)

Advertising

VGA (100 %)

International Business

DigitAlb works in partnership with IPKO in Kosovo.

Ineternational Partners

Hightel Towers S.p.a, a communication company based in Italy

Family & Friends

Affiliated Interests Family Members Friends

Filip Cakuli – is a member of the supervisory council of Top Channel and the director of the satirical/investigative show ‘Fiks Fare’.

Further Information

Active Transparency

company/channel informs proactively and comprehensively about its ownership, data is constantly updated and easily verifiable

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Meta Data

Top Media is not a legal entity, but a group of companies owned primarily by the Hoxha family. The ownership data and financial statements for Top Channel, Top Albania Radio and DigitAlb were obtained from the Albanian National Business Register. The financial data provided are for 2016. The Central Bank's average exchange rate for 2016 was used to convert the amounts into USD. Top Channel replied to the MOM information request on 29 December 2017. DigitAlb also replied to the MOM information request in January 2018. See sources for more.

  • Project by
    BIRN ALBANIA
  •  
    Global Media Registry
  •  
    Funded by European Union