Amfora was established in 2017 in Durrës as a youth-managed online media outlet with a strong focus on archaeology, cultural heritage, and social issues. Its vision was to make culture appealing and accessible, particularly for younger audiences. At the outset, reporting was longer and mostly written, and founder Geri Emiri sought more engaging formats.
Where Amfora was — and where it wanted to be
Before the project, Amfora’s unique strength was its niche focus on archaeology and cultural heritage. However, it faced challenges: a lack of technical capacity, limited financial sustainability, and difficulty in building long-term audience engagement. Amfora wanted to diversify content formats, increase audience loyalty, and strengthen its financial base. The ultimate ambition was to establish itself as Albania’s leading cultural media hub.
With support from the UK-funded Media for All project, Amfora introduced two key segments: the short video series “Culture in 1 Minute” and the podcast “Voice of Culture”. New formats were focused on history, cultural heritage, and contemporary social issues, aiming to reshape how Albanians engaged with culture.
On the road to overcoming challenges
The transformation required Amfora to think beyond journalism and operate like a media startup. Through mentoring and training, the newsroom expanded both technical capacity and human resources.
As Geri Emiri explained:
“Well, it is about new ideas on how to make the videos shorter but more interesting, how to invite the public to ‘travel’ with you while you tell the story. I believe these short consultation or brainstorming sessions helped a lot.”
Key steps included strengthening the Culture in 1 Minute video series, which provided verified, accessible content in Albanian and English, and developing the Voice of Culture podcasts with international trainer input, making them attractive to specific communities. A structured promotion strategy across social media boosted visibility ahead of releases, while new monetization approaches were tested, including advertising, donations, and studio-based media services. Audience engagement was deepened by inviting participation in surveys, discussions, and live events centered on cultural heritage.
The growth and achievements
The results of these efforts were striking. Amfora achieved measurable growth in both reach and capacity:
- Creation of the video series “Culture in 1 minute” – 20 episodes;
- Creating podcasts “Voice of Culture” – 15 podcast episodes;
- The number of visitors to the media outlets web site compared to the same period for 2020 (March-September) has increased by 76%;
- 516% increase in visitors (March 2021–March 2022 compared to the previous year).
- Increase of financial inflows through the media service (Amfora Production) – more than GBP 4,000 in the first 6 months – Most of incomes are from partnerships with local CSOs;
- Number of engaged individuals on social networks is tripled in the first 6 months.
- Technical upgrades and mentoring significantly improved production quality and expanded the team.
Including the additional £6,200 fund that is expected to be secured, the total amounts to £17,570 generated through the newly introduced revenue stream outlined in the Amfora business plan. The most successful monetization model has proven to be the media service Amfora Production, which has delivered a range of videos, podcasts, articles, and other content for organizations and associations, with a strong focus on social and tourism issues. Over the course of 12 months, this service generated £11,370 in income, a substantial increase compared to £4,500 in the previous year.
“With the publication of video series and podcasts the audience is growing. Through the guidance and support of the Thomson Foundation and Media for All we are able to generate revenue for the media and increase human resource capacity. Our service to the public is more professional with ongoing editorial training and recently approved guidelines”, Geri Emiri, owner.
Looking ahead
Amfora aims to build on its innovative foundation by scaling up cultural video formats, diversifying revenue, and expanding community engagement. Plans include turning “Culture in 1 Minute” into a flagship cultural brand, expanding podcasts with deeper community involvement, and developing sustainable revenue through partnerships, cultural events, and services.
Media Amfora stands out as the only outlet in Albania dedicated to reporting on archaeology and cultural heritage. Through its video series, it shares historical insights about the Durrës region in both Albanian and English, while its podcasts foster dialogue on socio-cultural issues and give voice to marginalized groups. Founder Geri Emiri has been recognized multiple times with the European Union Prize for Investigative Journalism, most recently in 2024 for exposing the misuse of EU agricultural funds.
