CHAPTER 4 - OVERVIEW OF ROMANIAN TELEVISION

News Propaganda

During the Communist Regime The communist regime brought television in Romania in 1956, when, on December 31, the first television program was broadcast from an improvised studio. From the very beginning, along with the newspapers and the radio, this new communication channel was perceived by the communist system as an important tool in the fight to promote the party’s ideology. Consequently, during the communist era, Romanian television did not serve its audience; instead, it became a component of the ruling regime, without any freedom or editorial independence.[1]

The evolution of Romanian Public Television was a reflection of the government’s policy and can be analyzed following the stages of the communist era in Romania: first stage (1947-1965) – stabilization of the newly established communist regime; second stage (1965-1971) – a permissive policy, open to Western media and culture; third stage (1971-1978) – Romania’s use of ideological mobilization to create the “new socialist man”, after China’ and Korea’s models; fourth stage (1978-1989) – the dominance of an increased personality cult and dictatorship.[2]

Between 1956 and 1971, Romanian television followed a rising path, with the state’s policy being more open and tolerant. Until he consolidated his power, Nicolae Ceausescu managed to put a human face on the totalitarian system, easing the censorship over mass media and allowing foreign programs to be broadcast on TV[3].

The mask of liberalization began to fall off starting with 1971, when Ceausescu and his wife visited China and Northern Korea. He was impressed by the vast manifestations and the well organized adulation for Mao or Kim II Sung. The stage-managed adulation of Mao and Kim II Sung, so meticulously choreographed, fired Ceausescu’s imagination and he demanded the same upon his return to Romania”.[4] Television developed into an important instrument in his plan, as he decided to purify Romanian culture of foreign and other influences. Everything had to be made in Romania and this included TV programs as well.[5] The first item to be sacrificed in this case was the international news. Most of the time, the entire newscast was dedicated to Ceausescu’s “extraordinary” speeches or visits. [6] As important news people could watch on TV during the few hours of available programming, odes of exaltations, performed by the young soimi ai patriei or pionieri.[7]

The last years of Ceausescu’s dictatorship were the worst. Entertainment, culture and sports almost disappeared from the TV programs, while broadcasting was narrowed to two hours per day in 1985 with TVR 2 channel being interrupted from its transmission.[8] Censorship was omnipresent in mass media, including television. The news programs were strictly monitored, any information concerning economical problems being forbidden. Words such as banana, orange, or coffee had been eliminated from the language used by media because it was almost impossible to find these products in stores, along with terms referring to the precarious living conditions: hunger, cold, darkness, etc. [9]

Eventually, communist television lost whatever credibility it had managed to obtain since its establishment in 1956. Therefore, television failed to be an accurate informer and surveyor of Romanian society and even failed to perform the roles assigned by the party and state. [10]

[1]Tiberiu Trancota, Romania Comunista: Propaganda si Cenzura.(Communist Romania: Propaganda and Censorship) (Bucuresti: Tritonic, 2006), 188.
[2] Peter, Gross, Mass Media in Revolution and National Development: the Romanian Laboratory (Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, 1996), 9.
[3] Ibid.
[4]Dennis Delletant, Romania under Communist Rule ( Iasi: Center for Romanian Studies, 1999), 176.
[5] Anthony Daniells, Utopias Elsewhere. Journeys in a Vanishing World (New York: Crown Publishers, Inc.,1991), 79.
[6]Gheorghe Epuran and Normand Turgeon, “The Romanian Television Industry”, Journal of Euro-Marketing 11 (2001): 38.
[7] Titles “achieved” by children in nursery and elementary school through a ceremony, which was an important moment in every child’s life, representing the pride of being children of the communism.
[8] Romania Television Society, TVR 50, (accessed 20 January 2008); available from http://www.tvr50.ro/ ; Internet.
[9] Tiberiu Trancota, Romania Comunista: Propaganda si Cenzura.(Communist Romania: Propaganda and Censorship) (Bucuresti: Tritonic, 2006), 193.
[10] Peter, Gross, Mass Media in Revolution and National Development: the Romanian Laboratory (Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, 1996), 23.


Broadcasting Free: Post-Communism News Programs

The failure of communism in Romania not only has led to the collapse of rules and functioning systems, but also led to the appearance of a free and chaotic mass media system. The euphoria generated by the mass media boom (the rapid establishment of thousands of outlets, from political magazines to local music radios, dailies to new wire services, television stations to advertising companies, etc) has produced an incomplete image of the freedom of press. [1]

Although immediately after the fall of communism in 1989, Romanian Television became Free Romanian Television, that freedom lasted for less than two months. After the first democratic system came to power, Romanian Television was once again a valuable asset in the hands of the new government. [2] The first democratically elected leader of the state opposed any kind of elimination based on former Communist Party membership. As a result, most of the current mainstream media managers held important positions in the communist era.[3]

Private initiative in the television industry took form after 1992, when the new Audio-Visual Law allowed independent agencies to apply for licenses from the Ministry of Communication. By the end of 1993 licenses had been given to 50 TV stations and 196 private cable companies.[4]

However, these licenses were only given to local and regional broadcasters, the procedure for obtaining a license being long and difficult, with the hidden purpose to ensure that public stations had national control to protect their dominant position on the audio-visual market.[5]

After 1992, the government monopoly on television began to weaken along with the installation of satellite networks and the emergence of small, independent stations that reach local and sometimes regional audiences, which offered alternatives to the programs broadcast on public television.[6] Albeit the live transmission of anti-communist revolution, on December 1989, gave media a particular force, by the mid 1990s, television in Romania was mostly an entertainment tool.[7]

The real battle for commercial television started after 1996, when PRO TV channel was founded. Part of the Central European Media Enterprises (CME group), Pro TV broke the barriers of television, bringing a very powerful American marketing strategy. The news bulletins presented information in a brief format, with many spectacular images and numerous local correspondents. Its objective news coverage was considered by many as one of the reasons for the failure of the first post-communist regime in the 1996 elections. The new channel broadcast 60 minutes of news every day, dedicating about 25-30% of the program to international news.[8]

Pro TV played an important role in the evolution of the Romanian television market, by bringing the concept of competition. Rapidly, Romanian State Television and the other private stations tried to copy Pro TV’s format, in an attempt to offer new and improved programs. However, quantity does not necessarily mean quality. Consequently, the battle for audiences created mediocre television, with entertainment, soap operas, or action movies as the main players. [9]

In 1992, when government control of Romanian television started to weaken, the audio-visual market in Romania counted eight privately-held TV stations, more than any other Eastern European nation.[10] Today, the Romanian television industry counts more than thirty stations, and the number is growing. Although a new Audiovisual Code has been recently adopted, there are channels that continue to ignore the new rules. The results of two studies conducted by the EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program in 2005 and 2008 revealed that the broadcasting industry in Romania shows week independence and low credibility of broadcasters. Although there are hundreds of investors in the audiovisual field, the television industry continues to be controlled by four large players, along with public television, which remains under government control. [11]

In recent years Romanian media experienced hat local experts call “berlusconisation”.[12] In other words, media moguls enjoy political and economic power while having absolute control over the media. [13] Political involvement and no objectivity in covering the news are some of the problems Romanian television industry has faced over the past years, without much of improvement so far.[14] In post-communist Romania, public visibility is one of the main objectives of media leaders, who carefully oversee their public appearances. Directors and owners of media corporations are regularly spotted on the front page of newspapers or in popular TV talk shows. During election campaigns, the leaders in mass media dominate the debates on TV and quite frequently, after the elections, they reappear in various government positions. For many, mass media represents a starting point for a successful political career.[15] According to Ioana Avadani, “Romanian politics and business are very close. Even if there is no direct control by the government over the editorial content of the media, the ruling party is very influential”. [16]

Tracing its roots to the mid 1990s, tabloidization has become a permanent characteristic of Romanian television. Scandal and sensationalism seem to be the perfect recipe for the ratings battle. Primetime news programs on commercial channels are filled with accidents, violent deaths, crimes, or fires. They have little relevance or consistency. The main objective of the news programs is to shock the audience, to bring them melodramatic news in order to make the programming more appealing.[17]

Romanian public television has been repeatedly accused of censorship. In 2004, Alexandru Costache, a journalist from the news department, decided to speak freely about the pressures on reporters. He argues that it became usual for reporters to ask the producers if they are allowed to broadcast various materials.[18] During 2000-2004, the state television was under constant control of the ruling party (Social Democratic Party). The News Department directors were frequently employed in unstable interim positions, which made them easier to control. The contests for permanent positions were delayed as long as possible in order to facilitate the government’s influence. This dominance culminated with the election law adopted prior to the 2004 elections, which forced Romanian public television to allow all political parties to air electoral messages in concordance with a formula defined by a parliamentary commission, transforming the public broadcasting into a spokesperson of politicians.[19]

After the change of political power in December 2004, the situation was expected to improve. Although the Parliament showed interest in reforming public service television after the 2004 elections, nothing happened. Moreover, with inadequate legislation, Parliament contributed to the further politicization of public broadcasting.[20] Regardless of laudable intentions of reform after the 2004 elections, the Romanian broadcasting industry does not look too promising. Commercial media outlets still provide entertainment and tabloid news, while newly niche channels mostly cover news, sports and movies, and not education and culture. Wealthy businessmen who own media outlets use them as instruments to fulfill their political ambitions. There is a lack of legal tools to prevent concentration and cross-ownership.

[1] Mihai Coman. “Romanian Television and the Changes of European Integration,” Trends in Communication 4 (2004): 212.
[2] Jerome Aumente and others, Eastern European Journalism: before, during and after communism, (Hampton Press Incorporated, 1999), 99.
[3] Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, “Romania’s too Free Press.” Foreign Policy 121 (2000): 98.
[4] Jerome Aumente and others, Eastern European Journalism: before, during and after communism, (Hampton Press Incorporated, 1999), 99.
[5] Jane Perlez. “With old tricks, Romania’s Old Reds Curb Press.” The New York Times, 6 August 1995, A4.
[6] Thomas A Mollison, “Television Broadcasting Leads Romania’s March toward an Open, Democratic Society”, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 42, no 1 (Winter 1998): 132.
[7] EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP), Romania – Television across Europe: Regulation, Policy, and Independence, (Budapest, 2005, accessed 15 March 2008);available from http://www.eumap.org/reports/2005/media/romania; Internet.
[8] Thomas A Mollison, “Television Broadcasting Leads Romania’s March toward an Open, Democratic Society”, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 42, no 1 (Winter 1998): 132.
[9] EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP), Romania – Television across Europe: Regulation, Policy, and Independence, (Budapest, 2005, accessed 15 March 2008); available from http://www.eumap.org/reports/2005/media/romania; Internet.
[10] Thomas A Mollison, “Television Broadcasting Leads Romania’s March toward an Open, Democratic Society”, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 42, no 1 (Winter 1998): 134. [11] EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP), Romania – Television across Europe: Regulation, Policy, and Independence – Follow-up Report 2008, (Budapest, 2008, accessed 15 March 2008), available from http://www.mediapolicy.org/tv-across-europe/tv-across-europe-follow-up-reports-2008-country/Romania-web.pdf/view ; Internet.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Robert McChesney, Corporate Media and the Threat to Democracy, (New York: Seven Stories Press, 1997), 9.
[14] Manuela Preoteasa, The Powerful Defeated Media [article on-line], (Media Online, 2004, accessed 15 March 2008); available from http://www.mediaonline.ba/en/?ID=340; Internet. [15] Mihai Coman. “Media Bourgeoisie and Media Proletariat in Post-Communist Romania.” Journalism Studies 5, no 1 (2004): 54.
[16] Avadani, Ioana. Press Freedom is a Costly Issue [article on-line] (accessed 25 February 2008), available from http://www.mediaonline.ba/en/?ID=218; Internet.
[17] EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP), Romania – Television across Europe: Regulation, Policy, and Independence – Follow-up Report 2008, (Budapest, 2008, accessed 15 March 2008), available from http://www.mediapolicy.org/tv-across-europe/tv-across-europe-follow-up-reports-2008-country/Romania-web.pdf/view ; Internet.
[18] Manuela Preoteasa, The Powerful Defeated Media [article on-line], (Media Online, 2004, accessed 15 March 2008); available from http://www.mediaonline.ba/en/?ID=340; Internet. [19] EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP), Romania – Television across Europe: Regulation, Policy, and Independence, (Budapest, 2005, accessed 15 March 2008);available from http://www.eumap.org/reports/2005/media/romania; Internet.
[20] EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP), Romania – Television across Europe: Regulation, Policy, and Independence – Follow-up Report 2008, (Budapest, 2008, accessed 15 March 2008), available from http://www.mediapolicy.org/tv-across-europe/tv-across-europe-follow-up-reports-2008-country/Romania-web.pdf/view ; Internet.