In association with TVR, the Romanian public service broadcaster, CIRCOM Regional announces the “Rising Star Award” as part of Prix CIRCOM 2011 to highlight young talent in Europe’s regional television stations.
The award sponsorship has been agreed by TVR to honour the work of Vanda Condurache, the TVR producer, manager and trainer tragically killed on her way to the CIRCOM conference in Bilbao in 2008. Vanda was an inspirational television professional for many young people not just in Romania but throughout Europe’s regional stations.
Vanda Condurache presenting Prix Award, 23rd CR Annual conference, Liverpool 2005
The winner will be able to offer evidence of talent across any one or more of several television activities: reporting, presenting, producing, directing, writing, technical skills. The award is aimed at those under 30 working full-time in regional television.
The sponsorship of TVR will ensure that the station where the winner works will receive a cash prize and a trophy. The winner will also be funded to attend the CIRCOM conference in Timisoara in May 2011. The funding will also allow other young professionals to attend the conference, which brings together producers, directors and executives from all over Europe. The support has been guaranteed for at least three years.
Alexandru Lazescu, Director General of TVR, said: “The Rising Star Award offered by TVR would have made Vanda Condurache happy and proud. As a brilliant TV professional and as a trainer, she taught, encouraged and promoted young talented journalists.
“Vanda was not just a teacher of practical skills. She also gave an understanding of the moral values and cultural framework of journalism and which is essential for high quality journalism.”
David Lowen, chairman of the awards, said: “Vanda was a friend, a colleague and an inspiration. It is wonderful that her memory should be kept fresh in this appropriate way. A whole new generation of young journalists can grow up to know and admire what Vanda stood for in European television.”
The entries will be judged by a panel of 14 senior television producers and executives when they meet in Frederikstad near Oslo, Norway, in April 2011 alongside the other categories of the Prix, which are also sponsored: Documentary (Dutch Cultural Media Fund), Most Original (RTVSlo Slovenia), Magazine and News Magazine (TVP Poland), Sport (ERT3 Greece), Drama/Fiction (TG4 Ireland), Vivre l’Europe (France TV), Video Journalism (BBC), Social Interaction and Viewer Support (SVT Sweden) and the Grand Prix for all programmes (SES-Astra).
The criteria for the new category is:
THE RISING STAR AWARD
The Rising Star Award is a new award, sponsored by TVR and created in honour of Vanda Condurache, the inspirational TVR producer, manager and trainer killed on her way to the CIRCOM conference in Bilbao in 2008.
The award is to recognise the excellence of young television talent and to encourage young professionals to develop their careers in public service television in Europe’s regions.
By bringing to wider attention the range and depth of talent in the regions, it seeks to assure young television professionals that regional television can offer scope and fulfilment in their aspirations.
The candidate must be aged 30 or under on 1 May 2011 (and give evidence, if required, of date of birth). He/she must be working full-time in the employ of a regional station which has membership of CIRCOM Regional.
The type of work undertaken by the entrant is across all aspects of television production and production organisation. On-screen reporter, news editor, writer, producer, director, camera technician, sound technician, video journalist, video editor – either singly or in combination: all are acceptable.
The entry form should set out why the candidate should be considered a “rising star”. This should include a statement by the entrant on what he/she has achieved, testimonies from senior professionals (not necessarily just from the entering station), video evidence of any skills mentioned in the citation. Where the candidate has been on a CIRCOM Regional training course, this should be mentioned and confirmation of excellence will be sought from CIRCOM’s trainers.
The judgement will be taken on a mixture of video, text and other information. In particular, the judges reserve the right to ask for further information from any candidate or from those who know the candidate.