OK, sports fans, watch the batter. CME moves Adrian Sarbu to the top of the order

The television in Central and Eastern Europe is a team sport. Winning is a matter of percentages. Those percentages improve with power hitters.

Appointing Adrian Sarbu as Chief Operating Officer (October 17) Central European Media Enterprises (CME) CEO Michael Garin is poised to take on any team any company can field. (Read CME statement here) These are wild days for television in the region; double digit annual increases in ad spending, huge viewer demand. And big companies are fielding teams – ProSiebenSat/SBS, News International, RTL, MTG.

Sarbu, a Romanian who started his media career as a documentary film director, is respected in the region, if not a bit feared.  His Romanian media holdings include Media Pro International, in which CME is an investor, and publisher Publimedia.A year ago Garin named him regional director for the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania, the company’s highest growth markets.

“Assuming the new position is first of all a moral duty to my partners,” said Sarbu on his appointment.

A week ago Media Pro, through Publimedia, purchased the sports daily ProSport from Ringier for €8.3 million. Just by coincidence CME acquired sports TV channel and web portal sport.ro in March.

In August CME strengthened its Ukraine presence, naming banker Igor Kolomoisky to its board. Michael Hedges - October 19, 2007

ftm Media Sleuth Dan Tudoroiu contributed to this report

Keywords:media in Romania, CME

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