28-04-2010

Deficit rises for Romanian National TV

By Iulia Blaga

    In 2009 the deficit of Romanian National Television (SRTv, www.tvr.ro) rose by 1.36 million in 2009, for an overall gap of 13 million euros.

    The national station took in 135 million euro (572 million RON), while spending 146.3 million euro (620 million RON).

    The report announced by the Romanian National Television notes that SRTv "faced an extremely difficult economic situation in 2009, caused mainly by external factors" such as "the reduction of the ad market and of the budgetary allocations, new legislation that affected revenues and the costs, and the decline in subscribers." The report accuses politicians of not doing enough to help.

    Advertising in 2009 totaled 8.8 million euro, of which 3,300 was online advertisement and 17,100 teletext advertisement. The advertising revenues in 2009 were 42% less than in 2008, as the entire TV ad market continued to decrease. The audience share of SRTv also decreased from 5.1% in 2008 to 4.6% in 2009, compared with 11.3% in 2006.

    In the report SRTv recommends that the radio-TV tax should increase, and also that the percentage going to the Film Fund should be decreased.

    Prior to the presentation of the report on 2009, the Administrative Council of SRTv was dismissed along with the president/general manager Alexandru Sassu, after the Romanian Parliament rejected the the 2008 report at the end of March. According to law, the Council and the president/general manager should run the institution for 15 days without decision-making power until their replacements are chosen.