The Novelty of the Romanian Press Lorela Corbeanu School of Arts and Science Nottingham Trent University - UK [email protected] ABSTRACT High level political corruption has been a constant problem of post-communist Romania, long indicated by international bodies. This continuing situation raises questions about the capacity of the Romanian institutions to reform and fulfill their duties. Among these institutions, the Romanian Press occupies a special place due to its nature and to its connection with politics. This paper will offer an image of the relationship between the post- communist Romanian press and the political world and will point towards a few elements that make it a unique case that deserves to be carefully researched. KEYWORDS Mass-media, moguls, press, political corruption Romania. INTRODUCTION Romanian media moguls are different from In a general negative context, marked by other cases in the post-communist world. reports from the European Commission I will examine two different Romanian (EC Reports on Romania, 2011 – 2004) cases, Sorin Ovidiu Vantu and Dan and other international bodies, pointing to Voiculescu and compare them to other two the severe high level political corruption cases, Paval Rusko form Slovakia and problem, the role of the press as guaranty Vladimir Zelenzy from the Czech Republic. of democracy, transparency and state of The reason I have chosen these cases is to law becomes more relevant than ever. The exemplify how tight the relationship role the press plays in these kinds of between media and politics is in Romania. troubled situations is the ultimate test to I shall continue with a trip through the show the level and the quality of press in history of the Romanian press to underline a particular country. its main aspects and evolutions in order to underline the elements that make the Romanian case a unique one. Studies of the Romanian post-communist press as well as studies concerning the post-communist press in other South- ROMANIAN PRESS–POLITICS, A Eastern European countries have been COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP trying to provide the public with a clearer In November 1999, the last Thursday image of the processes the written media before an election, the final confrontation has been passing through since 1989 and between the two candidates, Traian their consequences. Basescu, the Romanian President at the time, supported by the Liberal Democrat Party, and Mircea Geoana, Head of Senate The proposed topic is large and the and president of the Social Democrat research involved considerable. This is Party, candidate supported also by the why for the purpose of the present paper I Liberal Party and Minorities parties, took shall start by examining if and how the place in the Parliament Palace. 17 example. Wishing to make sure the Basescu had built his campaign on an anti- political party he had set up would get into corruption discourse, pointing very loud parliament, Dan Voiculescu headed and clearly towards the mass-media towards an electoral alliance with the tycoons, their business and political Social-Democrats who, after 4 years in implications. Due to this discourse his power, marked by harsh economical crises access to mass media was severely and corruption accusations were almost restricted and a dirty campaign against sure to lose the power and not get enough him started. A little more than a week seats in the Parliament in order to make a before the final tour the TV stations strong opposition. The alliance with a presented a little movie recorded in 2004, different political party was a solution for during the electoral campaign for them too. Before September 2004, when presidential elections. The election which the electoral agreement between the two consecrated Traian Basescu as Head of parties was signed, Voiculesc`s TV State in front of Adrian Nastase. The Station, Antena 1, had been criticising the movie showed Basescu during an electoral Social-Democrat Government. The mood meeting, hitting a boy in the crowd. The sweetened during their alliance with the late and unconvincing reaction of Social Democrats but immediately after President Basescu, put in front of this elections, Voiculescu`s party broke the movie for the first time, directly, during a alliance and accepted the invitation to TV show, made him lose precious form the government with Liberals and percents. Mass-media continually showed Democrats. Antena 1 Tv station started the movie for days, debates over debates criticising its boss’ former allies ( Agentia took place, and many could foresee his de Monitorizare a Presei, 2004). As we sure defeat. He needed something which can see from this example, mass-media is looked worse than the movie given to the a platform to promote political parties, a press by one of his former co-operators. instrument to win election, a link to get The saving solution came from his political alliances. counter-candidate, Mircea Geoana. The paparazzi recorded him one day before the Sorin Ovidiu Vantu and Dan Voiculescu are final confrontation paying a visit, at the just two examples. One is a businessman, middle of the night, to the private house the other one is a politician and a of one of the media tycoons so much businessman. Lets see now a little more of blamed by candidate Basescu. The hit was their background. short and fatal: “Did you like it at Mr. Vantu’s, last night, Mr. Geoana?” The lack of an inspired answer cost Geoana the Sorin Ovidiu Vantu. Considered to be the Presidential Portfolio. 5th richest man in Romania in 2008, with a fortune ranging between 800 and 850 million Euros ( Apetrei A, 2008), Sorin As we could see from this example, the Ovidiu Vantu is the owner of Realitatea- candidate almost certain to win elections Catavencu media trust that, before the felt the need to make sure, at the last economic crisis started in 2008 comprised moment, that he would benefit by the 4 radio stations, 8 magazines, 2 support of media mogul Sorin Ovidiu newspapers, 4 TV stations and a news Vantu. By chance, the visit is recorded by agency. Mass media is not the only paparazzi and 2 days before the elections business he has had but information about the entire country knew about Geoana`s the rest of his economical encounters is nocturnal visit to the most controversial unclear as he prefers to develop his media mogul in Romania. businesses through intermediaries and to use off shore vehicles. Among the A different example of the troubled businesses developed by him was the relationship between politicians and mass- National Investment Fund, a pyramidal media is the manner in which Dan structure that swallowed the saving of Voiculescu, businessman, politician and about 300.000 Romanians before media mogul has been using his media crashing, in 2000. He sold the company empire in order to sort out political deals. that administrated the Fund to Ioana The general elections in 2004 are just an Maria Vlas who afterwards was made 18 responsible for the Fund crash. Sorin didn’t avoid Voiculescu either (Popescu A Ovidiu Vantu has never been sent to jail. L, 2009). Ioana Maria Vlas spent about 7 years in jail, being released in December 2010.Sorin Ovidiu Vantu is suspected of These are just 2 examples out of the 5 having had connections to the former cases of moguls that dominate the Communist Security as an informer, under Romanian media. Lets go now and see the the conspirational name, Nus ( Tapalaga D stories of two moguls in other post- and Prisacariu C, 2010). communist countries. Dan Voiculescu is a politician and a The Slovak Pavol Rusko was minister of business man. As a politician, Voiculescu Economy, set up a political party (Alliance set up the Humanist Party of Romania in of the New Citizens) and set up Markiza, 1991 and changed its name to the the biggest commercial TV channel in Conservative Party in 2005. He has been Slovakia. In the parliamentarian elections an MP between 2004 – 2007 and then in 2006, his party didn’t manage to get starting in 2008 until the present day. He into parliament. Markiza is now part of is also Vice-president of the Romanian Central European Media Enterprises. Senate. In April 2007, the Parliamentary Commission lead, Dan Voiculescu The Czech Republic has its own local managed to suspend the acting Head of media mogul,Vladimir Zelezny. MP in the State. The report written by the Czech Parliament between 2002 – 2004 Commission was adopted by the Romanian and member of the European Parliament Parliament, President Basescu being between 2004 – 2009, Selezny was the suspended from his function. The national first CEO of TV Nova, a popular Czech referendum that followed reconfirmed television station. His influence as media President Basescu. mogul over Czech public affairs was so big that he was referred to as “central As mass-media owner, Dan Voiculescu Europe's Rupert Murdoch". In 2001 he built an empire comprising: 6 TV stations, was publicly arrested and charged with tax 5 newspapers, 6 magazines, 2 radio evasion and defrauding creditors in stations and another 7 businesses in connection with the Nova company and in printing and producing entertainment. As 2009 the Prague High Court upheld a two- with Sorin Ovidiu Vantu, Dan Voiculescu is year suspended sentence with a four-year suspected of secret police involvement probation for Mr. Železný. He was found too. The National Council for the Study of guilty of tax evasion. the Secret Police Archives ( CNSAS) revealed that Dan Voiculescu acted as an It is easy to see now the differences informer for the Secret Police of the between the Romanian media moguls and Ceausescu`s regime (Craig S and the other two.