Timisoara, Romania, 02 - 06 April, 2002

Timisoara: the Opera houseTimisoara, 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. Timisoara: the CathedralA 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!

Timisoara: the CathedralThe 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!