Oldest news TV station in Romania closed during presidential campaign

Realitatea TV, the first established news TV network in Romania and the second most viewed one, was shut down by the Romanian TV watchdog, CNA (The National Council of Audio-Visual) after its decision of not prolonging the broadcasting licence. The reasons for this decision were related to the bankruptcy situation of the news network, as Realitatea TV had to find ways to be re-organized, according to the Romanian bankruptcy law.

Failing to do so, CNA closed it down, and Realitatea is the first TV network to be shut down after OTV, another Romanian news TV station closed in 2003.

Realitatea was established in 2001, as a generalist TV station and become a news network, exclusively. Its political position was mostly critical to the existing Government, but this apparently has nothing to do with its closure. A few days before the CNA’s decision, its owner, Cosmin Gusa, formal politician and political consultant, entered the Social-Democratic Party as a simple member. This move is considered, watched everything in the light of the recent events, a planned one. Also, one of its best journalists and talk-show hosts, Rares Bogdan, is now a Member of the European Parliament after his candidature in Mayl this year.

Realitatea TV is not dead, though. The news TV station broadcast as Realitatea Plus, the new brand, but this is not a must-carry channel, meaning its impact over the TV viewers is minimal. This is odd enough to happen during the presidential campaign which is ongoing in Romania.