Romania's audiovisual watchdog CNA has fined the country's national, state – owned television TV with over EUR 11,000 for having broadcast a Christmas carol which included antisemitic lyrics.

After the CNA fine, the case will also be discussed within the National Council for Fighting Discrimination. The council will also hear the representatives of the Cluj National Council and of the County Center for Preserving and Promoting the Traditional Culture in Cluj, which were in charge with choosing the carols to be sung during the show on the channel TVR 3.

The TVR 3 show included a broadcast from the regional TV station TVR Cluj, and the media company's officials said they want to set themselves apart from such manifestations, adding the carol choice had been made locally in Cluj.

Romania's Foreign Minister Titus has also released a statement condemning the episode, saying antisemitism was unacceptable and calling for an investigation.

The carol was yet another PR disaster for the show, which has been lampooned by the Romanian press for the uninspired choices of words of its main anchor, who used a sheep toy, called Pufulica, as a speech pretext.

The anchor, Cristian Nitulescu, opened the show which marked the re-launched of TVR into a more 'agrarian TV station', by presenting the sheep toy Pufulica (later on re-named Pufulita), and saying it was the newsroom's toy, that everyone pets on the head when feeling stressed.

He went on to describe the changes at TVR 3 by mentioning its 'greening' and reciting some uninspired lyrics. The scene became a hilarious viral in Romania media.

The recent re-launch of TVR 3 is a partnership with the country's Ministry of Agriculture.

editor@romania-insider.com