PHG Media Invest is in court against CNA for sanctions applied to Realitatea Plus

The company PHG Media Invest, which holds the license for the Realitatea Plus channel, has filed a lawsuit at the Bucharest Court of Appeal against the National Audiovisual Council (CNA) and several members of the institution, seeking damages of one million euros.

The action is based on a decision from May 2023, through which the CNA sanctioned Realitatea Plus with a suspension of the broadcast for 10 minutes for violations of audiovisual legislation. The CNA members involved include both current and former members. Realitatea Plus contests the legality of the sanctions, arguing that they were applied abusively, although the court had suspended the enforcement of the obligation.

After the transfer of the license from Geopol Internațional to PHG Media Invest, the CNA notified the channel to enforce the sanction, but Realitatea refused, citing various reasons. Following the refusal, the CNA imposed fines, and the channel ultimately agreed to suspend its broadcast.

PHG Media Invest argues that the sanctions were issued with an excess of power and that the CNA could not modify the initial decision.