|  Timisoara,
western Romania, was the venue chosen for The Thomson Foundation's
first CIRCOM seminar for middle managers. Sixteen participants from
a dozen countries spent a busy week in the company of Thomson Foundation
Director, Gareth Price, with Vanda Condurache, Phil Davies and Roel
Dijkhuis (Chairman of CIRCOM Training Board of Governors) contributing
sessions on a wide range of management topics.
But one of the most valuable elements, it seemed
to many, was the realisation that public service broadcasters across
Europe work under such different social, political and economic
conditions. The exchange of professional experience highlighted
the difficulties everyone faces in their daily work. At the time
of the seminar, the staff and managers of Moldova TV and Radio were
on strike, in direct confrontation with their government.  A
Romanian regional producer explained how she made her programmes
with hardly any available finance, but still maintaining to preserve
programme quality. Bulgarian TV is still slowly moving towards becoming
a public service proper, while the second channel of Georgian TV
is undergoing a complete privatisation and restructuring, with the
intention of becoming totally self-supporting by the end of this
year. Some independent stations in Serbia, on the other hand, are
at the forefront of digital broadcasting technology, as a direct
consequence of their most recent social history.
All the sessions were informal and open
to discussion. Topics included: personnel management, finance, programme
quality and production, scheduling, communication skills, and the
general management of regional stations. Participation throughout
the week was committed, challenging, and of great benefit to us
all. And, of course, discussion went on, day and night!
 The
organisation of the seminar, co-ordinated by TVR Bucharest, and
with detailed liaison with their colleagues at TVR Timisoara, was
impeccable. We were all efficiently looked after from morning till
evening. The seminar facilities and hotel were excellent; and as
a group, we enjoyed several local visits - a tram ride and walk
through the old city, to the open house of an internationally acclaimed
sculptor, and of course, to some of the great range of local restaurants.
In conclusion, this was, we hope, a successful and
practical middle management seminar, intended to stimulate the participating
managers into improving their organisation immediately on their
return to work. If every participant can bring about even one change
or improvement at their stations, the week spent in Timisaoara will
have been worthwhile.
Opening session of the middle management seminar in Timisoara.
|
The management group take a short break from discussion at
the Timisoara seminar. |
Roel Dijkhuis, CIRCOM training director, describes his open
approach to the management of RTV Noord. |
(Left to right): Vanda Condurache (TVR Iasi), Phil Davies
and Gareth Price (Thomson Foundation) and Brindusa Armanca
(TVR Timisoara) enjoy reaction from the managers |
Statue and public building in the city centre. |
Some of the hundreds of works that fill Peter Jecza's house.
|
Time for Hrvoje Habekovic (Croatia) and Levan Kubaneishvili
(Georgia) to relax in the sculptor's garden. |
Sculpture everywhere you look!. |
Evening at one of Timisoara's fine restaurants |
The Orthodox Cathedral, symbol of the Romanian Revolution
of 1989. |
Hrvoje (Croatia), Levan (Georgia) and Joseph (Malta) see the
joke... |
...but Stefan (Slovakia) and Roel (Netherlands) don't seem
too sure! |
|
