Romania's media watchdog allows Realitatea TV owner to move content to new channel

Romanian media company Realitatea Media has failed to have its license renewed for major news channel Realitatea TV, as the company controlled by Cozmin Gusa and Maricel Pacurar is on the verge of bankruptcy, but the media content will keep being delivered by another channel owned by Gusa, the media market watchdog CNA decided, local Hotnews.ro reported. The vote was given one day after Cozmin Gusa joined the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

The media content will be delivered by Realitatea Plus, a small sized channel set up in 2003 by Cozmin Gusa through the firm Geopol International.

CNA on October 29 approved a change in the planned content of Realitatea Plus, which so far has maintained a low profile reportedly being prepared as a plan B for Realitatea Media’s bankruptcy. Realitatea Plus will continue delivering the same content currently broadcast by Realitatea TV.

The major difference between Realitatea TV and Realitatea Plus is that the former had a privileged statute being among the key channels (must carry) that the cable networks are compelled to distribute freely. However, local media informs that Gusa has already negotiated with two of the major cable networks in Romania, RCS&RDS and UPC, for a smooth transition from Realitatea TV to Realitatea Plus.

Realitatea Media has not been declared bankrupt yet. CNA de facto approved the trick prepared by Gusa, but the vote was tight: five of the ten voting members supporting the change of content at Realitatea Plus (de facto, green lighting the transfer of Realitatea TV content) while four voted against and one abstained.

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