MICHAL Gučík replaced Matej Ribanský as director general of the TV news channel TA3 as of January 1, the TASR newswire reported.
Pavel Komorník, the legal representative of TA3, which is part of Grafobal Group, presented the appointment of Gučík as a major contribution to the TV station, pointing to his long-term operational and media experience. Ribanský is heading to a new position at private station TV Markíza.
Gučík sees his appointment as a challenge, and says he wants to keep news coverage at its current high level.
“I plan to continue developing new technologies, internet, elevation of the quality of broadcasting and strengthening of the interactivity between TA3 and viewers,” said Gučík.
Gučík previously acted as the creative director and owner of an advertising agency, Roko, known for working with Vladimír Mečiar’s Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS). Before the 2010 general election Gučík was purportedly involved in the election campaign of the Slovak National Party (SNS), Korzár, the Košice daily wrote. He was a popular actor before the fall of the communist regime.
Ribanský was appointed TA3 director in February 2009. He will enter top management of the CME TV station in Slovakia where he takes over as director of the centre for advertising, replacing Martin Hauptvogel.