Busy Wednesday for Romanian TV Industry

Romanian TV industry is usually pretty slow motion and, when things happen, they happen programmed and not all together in the same time. This is why this Wednesday was quite unusual for Romanian TV market. One can blame it on the rain or other can say some wizardry from Harry Potter happened and someone casted a speed spell, making all things go in a roller-coaster rhythm.

Trying to take the events one by one, the start is with the bleak event, one that Romanian mass-media largely covered; after Romanian television station owner Dan Diaconescu was detained initially for 24 hours, a court extended the term and decided he will remain in custody for 29 days, under accusations of blackmail.

More detailed, according to Financiarul, Dan Diaconescu, shareholder and manager of SC Oglinda Television SA, an associate of SC Ocram Television SRL and an OTV television producer, was put in custody for 24 hours, since Monday afternoon till early on Tuesday, after he had been heard at the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA). According to DNA, Diaconescu threatened Ion Mot, the mayor of Zarand commune, AradCounty (west), both directly and through Doru Parv, to give him Euro 200,000. According to the same document, dated June 18th 2010, Mot paid a part of the money he was initially requested. This story will probably continue to attract Romanian media’s attention for quite a while, as new elements of this case are being revealed.

Also on TV front, Ada Roseti, Channel Manager Discovery Networks Romania, was promoted, starting June 1st, on the position of Channel Director for Romania, Hungary, CzechRepublic and Slovakia. In Romania, she will be replaced by Dorota Zurkowska-Bytner, that will assume the position of Country Manager, according to Mediafax News Agency. Zurkowska-Bytner will work with Katarzyna Kieli, General Manager DNEC, to develop and implement strategies adapted to the Romanian market.

Another measure taken by Discovery Networks Romania was meant to consolidate the advertising sales team locally, by appointing Andrei Grigorescu on the position of Advertising Sales Manager. Grigorescu has 10 years of experience in advertising industry and previously worked as General Manager PosterCom (outdoor agency part of Romanian marcomm holding The Group) and was before Sales Director and Development Director at News Outdoor Group, OOH Advertising division of NewsCorp.

Changes happened also in one of the most important TV companies in Romania, by the appointment of Codrut Seres in the position of President at Antena 1 TV station and Intact Production, according to a document published in Romania’s “Monitorul Oficial” and quoted by the Romanian press. Codrut Seres, one of the previous Romanian minister of Economy, was named President of Antena 1 SA and Intact Production SA and member of the Managing Board of Antena 3 SA.

Intact Media Group owns six TV stations – Antena 1, Antena 2, Antena 3, Antena International, Euforia TV and Gsp TV – , two radios – Radio ZU and Romantic FM –, a large portfolio of publications (that includes Jurnalul National, Gazeta Sporturilor, Saptamâna Financiara, Financiarul, Felicia, Top Gear and Confidential) and also the production company Intact Production. Main shareholders in Intect media trust are the members of Voiculescu family.

Recently, Adelin Petrisor, a well known Romanian journalist, published exclusively on his blog, the information according to which Intact terminated a consultancy contract it had with British ITN. According to the blog, Intact’s management decided to terminate the contract after a year of spending serious cash without improvements, but quite the opposite, as the company saw its main news bulletin seriously loosing ground in front of the main competitor, Știrile Pro TV.

On the other hand, both Paginademedia, site owned by the media journalist Petrisor Obae, and many other Romanian news outlets announced that the former chief or Romanian state owned television, Alexandru Sassu, will be the new director of Adevarul TV, a TV station that will be soon launched by Adevarul Holding, and will also be a member in the managing board of the company.

Acording to Mediafax News Agency, Petre Imre, General Manager Adevarul Holding, said that Saasu’s contract cu Adevarul will start on July 15th. Adevarul Holding started developing a TV studio at the end of 2009, but doesn’t have yet a broadcasting licence, according to responsibles from the Audiovisual Council, quoted by Mediafax.

On the other hand, with its former chief leaving, Romanian state owned television SRTv is waiting the naming, by Parliament, of a new management board so it can resume its normal activities. In the same time, the Romanian state owned radio network is also changing the management board.