Romania

[RO] Authorisation given for a nation-wide private television channel

IRIS 1996-1:1/32

Nicolas Pélissier

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France (CNRS)

In accordance with decision no. 102/24 November 1994, taken by the National Audiovisual Council (NAC), a new private television channel will start broadcasting nationally by early 1996.

The new channel will be run by the winner of the tender put out by the regulatory authority, the results of which will be made known by the end of the month. Private television companies have had to make do so far with broadcasting locally, despite the efforts undertaken by SOTI to set up a nation-wide network. SOTI's attempt met with failure and the company had its broadcasting licence revoked by the NAC, leaving the T.V.R., the public television channel, still with a monopoly in national broadcasting. A lot of Rumanian and foreign operators are expecting genuine changes to be brought about by the start-up of the new private channel. However, as the new company does not as yet own any of the satellite transmitters needed for nation-wide broadcasting, it will, for the time being, have to rely on the cable network. This network is rapidly expanding and already covers a fair portion of the country.