Bucharest, 6 January 1997 (RFE/RL) - The new director general of Romania state-tv (TVR), Stere Gulea, today announced sweeping personnel changes in broadcast news operations.
Among the changes, respected political analyst Alina Mungiu was appointed director of the Department of Information programs, which controls all news broadcasts. Mungiu previously edited a weekly newspaper, and has written several bestselling books on Romania's transition since 1989.
Bucharest BBC correspondent Rasvan Popescu was appointed Director of the Department of Analyses and Commentary.
One of the few executives who survived the changes was Viktor Ionescu, who was the former director of Analyses and Commentary. Ionescu becomes head of the Foreign News Department.
Our Bucharest correspondent reports that state-tv was widely regarded as pro-government during the tenure of former President Ion Iliescu. The former opposition -- now in power with President Emil Constantinescu -- had accused state-tv of manipulating public opinion.
Director-General Gulea, a film director appointed by Constantinescu last month, has said his goal is to bring state-tv up a recognized standard of professional, unbiased news coverage.