PRIX CIRCOM: REGIONAL PROGRAMME QUALITY RISING
The judges of the awards for the best European regional programmes (Prix Circom Regional 2003, Sinaia - Romania, April 10-12, 2003) were surprised by the improving quality of regional programming, especially documentaries, at a time of economic difficulty for many broadcasters. Bobrek Dance from TVP3 Katowice won the Grand Prix Documentary for an alert but often poignant view of life in a small and depressed Polish town. Facts Weekly from TVP3 Wroclaw won the Grand Prix News for a fresh way of doing a weekly review, involving viewers in trying to remember the main stories of the week.
The top awards – for news and documentary – both went to TVP3 Polish stations, who were singled out by judges for their creativity and journalistic strength. “The fast development of programmes in Poland has been wonderful to enjoy over the past few years,” said awards chairman David Lowen, Director General of EuroNews. “Poland has always had a flourishing film industry and this is now clearly translating to television. The Polish programmes across all regions were contenders for prizes.”
Bobrek Dance from TVP3 Katowice won the Grand Prix Documentary for an alert but often poignant view of life in a small and depressed Polish town.
Facts Weekly from TVP3 Wroclaw won the Grand Prix News for a fresh way of doing a weekly review, involving viewers in trying to remember the main stories of the week.
The other winners were - People for Sale from BBC 1 Northern Ireland won the Prix Current Affairs, Euro 3 from France 3 Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardie won the Prix Cross-Border, Death at Deepcut from BBC Scotland won the Special Prix and POLDER MASH from Omroep Flevoland, Netherlands won the Most original Prix.
Special commendations by categories were - News (TELESKOP, TVP3 Poznan, Poland; LOOK EAST, BBC East, UK), Documentary (AMANDA, THE PRINCE CHARMING AND THE BABY, France 3 Bourgogne, THE QUEEN IS COMING, TV2 Ost, Denmark - also commended SENTENCED FOR LIFE, France 3 Corse), Current affairs (INSIDE OUT, BBC South; THE NIGHT THE FISH COME; TVR 2, Romania), Cross-border (HANG GLIDERS FROM BOSNIA, HRT Zagreb - Croatia, THE UNSEEN SIDE OF APHRODITE, ERT3 Thessaloniki, Greece), Special (GERMAN AND POLES 3; ORB Germany; THE QUEEN IS COMING, TV2 Ost, Denmark) Most original (CLOSE-UP WEST STREET LEVEL, BBC 2 West; A GUARD, RTV Montenegro).
The sponsors of the awards were European Parliament (Current Affairs category), Committee of the Regions (Cross-Border category); France 3 (Prix Spécial de France 3 category) and TVP, Poland (Most Original category).
Award Categories:
1. Documentary Grand Prix Circom Regional trophy
10000 euros, trophy, free visit to Grado conference
2. Regional News Grand Prix Circom Regional trophy
7000 euros, trophy, free visit to Grado conference
3. Current Affairs European Parliament award
6500 euros, trophy, free visit to Grado conference
4. Cross-Border Committee of the Regions award
4000 euros, trophy, free visit to Grado conference
5. Special Prix Spécial de France 3
3000 euros, trophy, free visit to Grado conference
6. Most Original TVP award
3000 euros, trophy, free visit to Grado conference
The judges were Mojca Recek (RTV SLO Maribor, Slovenia), Dippy Chaudhary (BBC London, UK), Vanda Condurache (TVR Iasi, Romania), Jean-Marie Belin (France3, France), Ove Mulvad (TV2/Fyn, Denmark), Raymond Maxwell (Committee of the Regions); Istvan Hegedus (MTV Budapest, Hungary), Daniel Parmentier (RTBF Charleroi, Belgium), Martine Kruider (Omroep Flevoland, Netherlands), Christian Baudissin (BRF Munich, Germany), Euro Metelli (RAI Trieste, Italy), Dimitar Bogdanov (BNT Sofia, Bulgaria), Nikos Vezirgiannis (ERT3 Thessaloniki, Greece), Brynjulf Handgaard (NRK Oslo, Norway) and Phil Davies (Thomson Foundation, Wales).
They judged 138 entries from 25 countries.
The judging took place in Sinaia, Romania from April 10-12 and was hosted by TVR, Romania. The awards will be presented at the CIRCOM Regional Annual Conference at Grado, Italy, on 22 May 2003.