11-04-2012

OTV Licence Curtailed Again

By FNE Staff

    BUCHAREST: The Audiovisual Council of Romania (www.cna.ro) made a historical decision on April 10 when it voted unanimously that the licence of OTV channel (www.otv.com.ro) should expire on 4 July instead of September 2012.

    This is the second decision to curtail OTV channel due to the political advertisement of the People's Party (www.partidul-poporului.ro). On 27 March, the licence was reduced by 6 months for the same reasons. Usually it would have been expired in April 2013.

    CNA made this decision after monitoring the political advertisement broadcasted by OTV from 29 March - 8 April. Dan Diaconescu, the head of OTV, is also the front runner of the People's Party for the presidential elections in 2014. The law states that in order to extend the licence, OTV will have to reapply to the CNA.