Romania

[RO] New Measures for CNA

IRIS 2001-1:1/23

Mariana Stoican

Journalist, Bucharest

On 21 September, a new chairperson was appointed to the Consiliul National al Audiovizualului (National Audiovisual Council - CNA). At the beginning of the autumn, the CNA was mainly dealing with specific regulations and supervision of broadcasting time and programmes devoted by Romanian broadcasters to the election campaign. The basis for its work was the D.C.N.A nr. 240 privind conditiile de prezentare si duratele programelor destinate campaniei electorale pentru alegerea Camerei Deputatilor si a Senatului si pentru alegerea Presedintelui României (CNA Decision no.240 on conditions for the broadcast and length of programmes forming part of the Romanian Parliamentary, Senate and Presidential election campaigns) of 9 October 2000. During the run-up to the elections, 35 CNA inspectors monitored the programmes of 400 radio and television (terrestrial and cable) stations, reporting, condemning and even severely punishing any infringements they found. For example, it was announced at a CNA press conference on 7 November 2000 that, between 12 October and 7 November 2000 alone, numerous sanctions had been imposed on six television and four radio broadcasters for various offences committed during special election campaign programmes. CNA Decision no.260 of 20 November 2000 contained the harshest penalty ever imposed by the Romanian broadcasting control authority. It shortened the validity of the broadcasting licence held by C.M.C. International IMPEX SRL, the owner of private television station Tele 7 abc, by six months. The reason was the "uncivilised shouting match" broadcast on 9, 10 and 15 November 2000 during the Dan Diaconescu în direct ("Dan Diaconescu live") talkshow, which, under the terms of Article 13 of Decision no.240, was beyond the moderator's control.