When Alexandru Răducanu, the founder of Canal 33, asked me to write on this platform – the Tv channel’s platform – I had reservations. I am not a journalist, nor have I ever been one, and I have no intention of becoming one. However, my apprehension did not stem from these reasons alone. Rather, it was the realization that the deontological veils most of the press brandish are draped over the shoulders of naked emperors. We find ourselves in an era where journalistic ethics contort and adapt to the transient interests of the patrons, where editorial policies mold like pliable clay, and the thirst for sensationalism reaches compulsive proportions. I wasn’t willing to sacrifice my freedom of expression merely to join the chorus of carolers of a press channel I didn’t even know much about. Furthermore, I have never succumbed to this temptation, no matter how alluring the scores may have seemed at times.
My reserves vanished when Alex told me quite literally: “write about what you want, how you want, when you want”. This is what I’ve been doing for 19 articles now – I write about my chosen topics, in my preferred style, every Saturday. Yet, it’s not only the freedom of expression that fuels my loyalty to Canal 33.
There’s a sense of renewal on the platform. What I’m pointing at here – beyond the vibrant green that characterizes the brand’s identity – is the fresh and appealing way in which all journalistic genres intertwine to cater for all readers’ tastes. This is a youthful platform, hungry for affirmation, incisive, a fact evident in every published piece, regardless of the author.
The authors are distinguished names. Master Ion Cristoiu, Bogdan Tiberiu Iacob, Robert Turcescu, Radu Herjeu, Octavian Hoandră, Alexandru Catalan, Adriana Săftoiu, Cristian Barna, Lelia Munteanu, HD Hartmann, Victor Nichituș are just a few of the names with resonance in journalism and political and geopolitical analysis that converge here. It is formidable how the Canal 33 platform brings together professionals with diverse opinions, some radically opposed, into a succinct tableau. From this vantage point, the reader can glean reasoned truths about current political, economic, and social events. Undoubtedly, this platform stands unique in the Romanian media landscape. We’ve witnessed, more than once, journalists abandoning various ships because they did not toe the line to editorial policies dictated by the patrons.
Last but not least, I was fascinated by the way in which Alex Raducanu interacts with all his collaborators and employees: honest, direct, natural, and friendly, without the airs and arrogance I’ve encountered elsewhere. He cultivates relationships that provide comfort to those around him and, above all, he ensures that freedom of expression without which a journalistic platform cannot really be credible or inviting.
In the desolate current media landscape where we scramble intensely to find correct, complete, relevant and accurate information, the Canal 33 platform stands as an oasis of fresh air. And its story is just beginning.
