YUGOSLAV STATE INFLUENCE IN MEDIA: THE 1968 KOSOVO STUDENT UPRISING IN THE NEWSPAPER “RILINDJA”

Abstract

The purpose is to do the research on how the students demonstrations were portrayed in the contemporary press in Kosovo, focusing specifically on the daily newspaper “Rilindja”, which was the most widely read Albanian-language newspaper in Kosovo at that time. A one-year period, from November 1968 to November 1969, has been selected as the research sample to study how “Rilindja”, reported on these significant developments that happened in Kosovo during that time. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, scientificity, authorial objectivity, systematicity, as well as general scientific and special historical methods. The novelty of this research paper is that it is evident from these writings that the state exerted significant influence over the published articles, this can be seen in the labelling given to the organizers of these demonstrations. Even before the trial was held, the organizers were prejudiced as nationalists and accused of being influenced by external factors to orchestrate these demonstrations. Their actions were portrayed as attempts to undermine the unity and brotherhood within Yugoslavia. Conclusion. The analysis demonstrates how “Rilindja” served both as an informational outlet and as a tool of political influence, particularly in shaping public perception and maintaining communist control over youth and public discourse. Firstly, it is clear that “Rilindja’s” initial coverage of the November 27, 1968 demonstrations relied heavily on official sources, specifically the Communique of the Provincial Executive Council of Kosovo. This reliance indicates a lack of independent journalistic investigation, and instead suggests that the newspaper functioned as an amplifier of state narratives. More importantly, our research highlights that “Rilindja”, being the only Albanian-language daily newspaper in Kosovo at the time, adopted a distinctly biased stance. From November 1968 to May 1969, the newspaper acted as a mouthpiece for the communist leadership, publishing content aimed at discrediting the organizers and portraying the demonstrations as harmful, chauvinist, and even nationalist. The most telling aspect of “Rilindja’s” coverage lies in its strategy to isolate the organizers while seeking to "save" the participants. The idea was to portray the students as misled by a small group of agitators, thus justifying both the punishment of the leaders and the ideological re-education of the majority. In this sense, “Rilindja”served as a medium of indirect communication between the communist establishment and the protesting students.

Key words: 1968 Demonstrations, Students, Rilindja, Kosovo, Yugoslavia.