14 judges, TV professionals from 13 European countries, have been named for the Prix CIRCOM 2019 judging, which will take place in Delden, The Netherlands, hosted by RTV Oost, from 8-13 April 2019. The winners will be announced in the week after the judging.
Montse Armengou Martín
TV3 Catalunya, Spain
Montse is journalist and filmmaker working for Televisió de Catalunya (TV3, Barcelona), currently director of “Sense Ficció”, a weekly prime time documentary programs. She is the author of research documentaries about Franco’s dictatorship repression: “Franco’s forgotten children”, “The Spanish Holocaust” and “The institutions of fear”, awarded with Grand Prix FIGRA, Memorimage, Montecarlo, New York Film Festival, IFTA, Liberpress-Radio France Internationale, etc. Her documentaries have come to the United Nations (Rapporteur for the Promotion of Truth, Justice, Reparation and guarantees of non-repetition and Working Group on Enforced Disappearances). Montse is also visiting professor at NYU (2017) King Juan Carlos as Chair of Spanish Culture and Civilization.
Carlo de Blasio
RAI, Italy
Carlo de Blasio is deputy editor of TGR, the regional newsroom of the Italian Public Broadcaster RAI, in charge of the development of all web & social news activities. He has been working as Italian correspondent from New York after the 9/11/2001 events. Before joining RAI, he was based in London and worked seven years for the BBC, particularly in BBC NEWS24 and BBC WORLD. He also had a managerial experience at the beginnig of his career working as product manager in the international record company RCA (Rome and London). Graduated in Philosophy, he sometimes holds small conferences on the Greek and Roman philosophies of pre-Christian times.
Françoise Erb
FTV, France
Françoise Erb began her career as a journalist at France 3 Champagne-Ardenne in 1982 before joining the editorial office of France 3 Alsace in 1985. In 1999, she was appointed Deputy Editor-in-Chief of France 3 Lorraine and in 2002 Editor-in-Chief of France 3 Champagne-Ardenne. In 2005, she took over as Editor-in-Chief of France 3 Burgundy. Françoise joined France 3 Alsace four years later, as Deputy Editor-in-Chief and then as Editor-in-Chief in February 2011. In 2007 she has been appointed Editor-in-Chief in charge of cross-border relations at France 3 Grand Est. She graduated from the Institute of Political Studies (IEP) in Strasbourg and the University Center for Journalism Education (CUEJ) in Strasbourg.
Todor Ignatov
BNT, Bulgaria
Todor Ignatov has been working for BNT for more than 20 years. Experienced professional in acquisitions and post-productions, Todor works on specific concepts for the buying of film packages, preparing proposals on the acquisition of screening rights of all Bulgarian programs not produced by BNT. Regularly participates in international film markets.
Together with the Program Director, he takes part in the preparation of BNT`s film program scheme and regularly participates in the film session commissions of STF Ecran (the in-house production unit of Bulgarian National Television) - the structure which evaluates ideas and proposals for TV productions. Todor prepares weekly suggestions of programing of foreign and Bulgarian films and administrates the global process within BNT - controls the information database, coordinates dubbing teams as well as all activities and production stages.
Dite Dinesz
TVR Timisoara, Romania
Dite Dinesz works for TVR Romania as reporter and producer since 1992, producing documentaries, magazines and newsstories, putting people's lifes on the TV screen. She is known in Romania for her documentary series Isolated people from Romania, a project which started in 2006 and is still airing. This programme was awarded many times by the Romanian TV Association.
She was for 3 years manager of TVR Timisoara, understanding very well the meaning and goals of a regional TV station. But the most important fact about Dite is that she loves to be a reporter. TV Journalism is about people, lives and feelings. And nothing more!
Gunnar Henrich
Hessischer Rundfunk – ARD, Germany
Gunnar is working for the Hessischer Rundfunk in Frankfurt and for ARD Germany for News Magazines, documentaries, reportages and Docu-Soaps. He worked for the regional news and magazine programs as a reporter and live reporter. From 2004 up to 2006 he worked for a TV-boulevard-magazine. Since 2003 Gunnar is working as a VJ for the news and documentaries and has been producing more than 20 reports of 30 minutes or more – some of them for the nationwide program ARD. For some of them he has been awarded. Gunnar has been working as a political correspondent in Wiesbaden, the capital of Hesse. Since 2008 Gunnar works as a trainer for VJs at Hessischer Rundfunk as well as a reporter, planner, chief and managing editor for the news and news-magazine “Hessenschau”, the most important TV program of Hessischer Rundfunk. He is also editor and sender editor for nationwide special programs.
Michelle Mayman
BBC, UK
Michelle Mayman is the editor of an award winning BBC regional news programme, North West Tonight. It is the most watched TV news in the region, with more viewers than the national news and attracting a unique audience with a blend of news, community and sport. Covering stories of national and international significance, from the murders of two WPCs in Manchester, to the Stepping Hill Hospital poisoner and Hillsborough, outstanding coverage of breaking news, such as the Manchester Arena Attack, and generation of original journalism on issues such as historical sex abuse and terrorism. Stories are shared online and on social and attract significant engagement.
One of fifteen selected for the BBC Women in Leadership programme, Michelle has worked on the BBC’s Future of News project, the Local News Partnership and was a driving force behind the Hilda Matheson scheme aimed at development of women in the workplace.
Twice BAFTA nominated, Royal Television Society North West best news programme.
Nils Choler
SVT, Sweden
I am working with the Swedish Television in Gothenburg. Deep down in my heart I am a news reporter. But during my over 40 years in duty, I have had the opportunity to do most things within television. I have been hosting current affairs shows, working with infotainment, done documentaries, have been a news editor, one of the founding fathers of the Swedish educational channel "Kunskapskanalen", have been...
But once a news reporter, always a news reporter!
Mary Ellen Ní Chualáin
TG4, Ireland
Mary Ellen is the Commissioning & Acquisition’s Manager for TG4. As well as managing the content department, Mary Ellen also commissions content for the Core Audience schedule. She is currently overseeing two output deals as well as other BAI and ILBF funded projects aimed at this audience.
Prior to joining TG4, Mary Ellen worked in the reversioning/dubbing department in Telegael, a Post Production House in Spiddal, Co. Galway.
Since joining the TG4 commissioning department in 1999, Mary Ellen has had a central role in the development and commissioning of a wide range of content. Mary Ellen had a central role in the BAI/TG4 development of drama schemes ‘Síol’, ‘Údar’, ‘Scéal 1’ & ‘Scéal 2’, initiatives that resulted in the production of 24 x 1 hour TV dramas.
Alongside her work as Manager & Commissioning editor, Mary Ellen has also completed an MSc in Business.
Eivind Undrum Jacobsen
NRK, Norway
Eivind is the editor in chief at NRK Nordland in northern Norway. He was first employed in NRK in 2007 and has previously worked at the editorial as journalist, day editor and news editor. He studied journalism at the Nord University.
Mojca Recek
RTVSLO Center Maribor, Slovenia
All my life I wanted to be a journalist and I have been working as one since my student years, although I was studying History and English. After finishing the studies, I got permanent employment at Regional Television Maribor, which is a part of the Slovenian National Television. For years I have been working in news program. I also worked as a presenter. Since 2002 I am involved with CIRCOM Regional. At that time, I was Editor in chief of a special program dedicated to CIRCOM Regional awarded programs, which was broadcasted on Maribor Regional Television, as well as on Slovenian National TV. I had an honor of being a judge for Prix CIRCOM in the past. Last few years I am in charge of a weekly program about animals.
Bas Treffers
RTV Oost, The Netherlands
Master in Musicology in 1986 (University of Amsterdam).
Started working at the regional radiostation Radio Oost in 1986 (music department).
Journalist, reporter, editor, producer (all radio&television), radiopresentor, music compiler at RTV Oost.
Head of the Entertainment department (radio&television) at RTV Oost in 1999.
Editor-in-chief (music, entertainment&documentaries) at RTV Oost in 2012.
Lucía Herrera Cueva
RTPA, Spain
Lucía Herrera is a Content Director of Principality of Asturias Radiotelevision (RTPA) where she has been working since 2006.
She has developed her professional expertise as a director, producer on many audiovisual works like documentaries, feature films and television programmes.
She has a degree in Law and Labour Sciences (University of Oviedo), degree in Audiovisual Communication (Open University of Catalonia), Postgraduate program in Intellectual Property (University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona), and Master in Law.
Wojciech Malinowski
TVP Wrocław, Poland
Press and TV journalist, graduated Philosophy at Wrocław University, and then Production Seminar at The Film School in Łódź. Logic lecturer at Wrocław University. Cooperates with the Institute Public Affairs in Warsaw. In 1996 started to work for Polish Television (TVP). Author of documentaries, reports and cultural TV programs. Since 2000 Programme Secretary at the Wrocław TVP. Juror at the ‘Offensiva’ International Film Festival. Lecturer of the College of TV Journalism and Public Relations at Wrocław TVP.