06-12-2010

10 TV Launches on December 10

By Iulia Blaga

    BUCHAREST: 10 TV, a new television channel from Romanian communication company RCS/RDS (www.rcs-rds.ro), will launch on 10 December 2010. The launch budget and the budget for 2011 is 10 million euro. The channel will begin with holiday programming, and will become a generalist channel starting February 2011.

    The station will be managed by Radu Moraru, who was one of the stars and shareholders of B1 TV (www.b1tv.ro). He also holds the majority of shares at VoxNews (voxnewsromania.wordpress.com), along with businessman-turned-filmmaker Bobby Păunescu. B1 TV is currently undergoing changes and is expected to announce a new management and a strategy.

    Păunescu is withdrawing from the management of both channels to dedicate himself to the film production. He previously told FNE that he is in development with the internation coproduction The Ghosts/Fantomele, which he is writing, directing, and producing with production company Mandragora. Shooting starts in May 2011.

    Păunescu founded Mandragora with director Cristi Puiu in 2004. Last year they opened the distribution company Mandragora International in Paris. A new office, Mandragora North America, will open in New York by the end of 2010.