A Romanian Seventh-day Adventist television production was awarded first prize for “excellence in journalism for the benefit of the community” Nov. 14 in Bucharest.

Organized by Prais Corporate Communications, the National Contest for Community Journalism included 45 competitors in public television, radio and print journalism.

“I strongly believe that this prize is a recognition of the values, principles and philosophy that we [the Adventist Church] should always promote,” says Mihai Gidea, producer of the winning program “In the Center of Attention.”

Adrian Bocaneanu, president of the church in Romania, is encouraged by the public’s response to the program. “The daily program is part of a deliberate plan of the Adventist Church in Romania to exert a greater influence on society,” he says. “This award is even more important as we subsequently learned that the international jury was fully aware that this telecast represents the Adventist Church.”

“It’s hard to explain our success without God’s help,” Gidea says. “We won a prize without having a rich experience in this field.”

In the Center of Attention, which airs on national public network television on Romania’s Reality TV, was launched earlier this year and deals with topics ranging from health to education to current affairs. Members from the Romanian Academy of Arts and Sciences and top experts have been major contributors to the program. The program is produced in the Adventist Television Network Production Center in Romania and can be seen on cable stations across Romania and soon by satellite in Europe and North America.