Radio decisions at this week’s meeting of the Media Council
The Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) announced the winners of the tenders for radio frequencies Velence Meleg-hegy 90.4 MHz and Veszprém 90.6 MHz, called on bidders to remedy deficiencies as part of the formal examination of the bids submitted for the Sopron 94.1 MHz frequency and finalised the call to tender for the Kecel 99.6 MHz radio frequency. In addition, the Council imposed a fine due to deviations in the radio programming schedule.
The Media Council announced B&T Kft. as the winner of the local radio frequency tender for Velence Meleg-hegy 90.4 MHz. The successful bidder will start broadcasting as a commercial radio under the name “90,4 Rádió 1”, networking under the licence for Budapest 96.4 MHz. The Council had already announced the results of this tender once a year ago, but one of the bidders sought remedy against the decision. After interpreting the court judgment, the Media Council repeated a part of the procedure and reassessed formally valid bids. With a view to the fact that there had been a change of ownership in one of the two bidders during the assessment, which is contrary to the provisions of the tender document, the Media Council announced the other bidder, being the only one whose bid was in compliance with both the Media Act and the provisions of the call to tender, as the winner.
Based on the Council’s decision on the tender for the Veszprém 90.6 MHz frequency, LB Rádió Kft. may launch its local commercial broadcast under the name 90,6 Rádió 1, also networking under the licence for Budapest 96,4 MHz. The tender procedure resumed after the court had declined the application for a review submitted by the other bidder, Regionális Rádió Kft.
As part of the formal examination of bids submitted under the tender for the provision of local radio media service at the Sopron 94.1 MHz frequency, the Council called on both bidders, Pannon-Sopron Kft. and Regionális Rádió Kft., to remedy deficiencies.
The Media Council finalised the call for bids for the Kecel 99.6 MHz commercial radio frequency and published it on its website on Friday. Bids may be submitted on 31th August.
During a programming week in April under review, Maxi Rádió in Gyöngyös aired less Hungarian music, public service content and fewer programs on the local community life which facilitate day-to-day activities than stated in their public contract and prescribed by the applicable legislation, and therefore the Council required it to pay a HUF 20 thousand fine. When imposing a fine, the Media Council always determines the form and extent of the penalties with due consideration to all the circumstances of the specific case and employing the principle of progressiveness and proportionality.