Media Council: HUF 105 million tender to support the production of history documentaries

Published: 20 September 2018

At this week’s meeting, the Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) approved this year’s invitation to tender worth HUF 105 million for the production of history documentaries. In addition, HUF 107.2 million were allocated for the production of regular local and regional news as well as public and cultural television programmes.

This year’s tender for the production of history and sports history documentaries

Under the Hungarian Media Patronage Programme, the Media Council has announced the István Nemeskürty tender for this year again. The board has allocated a total of HUF 105 million for the production of standalone documentaries, 50-52 minutes in length, covering events, persons, locations or anniversaries of history or sports history. The deadline for submitting the synopsis is 18 October, and the productions will be aired by the national TV networks before late 2020. The detailed call for applications is available at mecenatura.mtva.hu.

HUF 107.2 million for regular local and regional television programmes

In the second round of this year’s tender for regular news, public and cultural TV programmes announced under the Hungarian Media Patronage programme, the Media Council has awarded a total of HUF 107.2 million to twenty-two local or regional television stations. News programmes of the following seven media service providers will receive funding under this programme: Debrecen Televízió, TV Szentendre, Tatai Televízió, Körös Televízió of Szarvas, Karcag Televízió, Zalaegerszegi Televízió and Sopron Televízió. Eight service providers were awarded funding in the public magazine category: Szentgál Televízió, TV10 and ESTV of Budapest, Kiskőrös Televízió, Móra-Net TV of Mórahalom, Rábaközi Televízió of Csorna, Városi TV Mohács and Komló és Térsége Televízió. Yet another seven TV stations will receive funding for the production of cultural magazine programmes: Vásárhelyi Televízió of Hódmezővásárhely, Szombathelyi Televízió, Halas TV of Kiskunhalas, Keszthelyi Televízió, Városi Televízió Eger, Nyíregyházi Televízió and Szolnok TV.

Fines for failure to report quota obligations

With extended administrative deadlines, the Media Council imposed fines in the range of tens of thousands of forints on seven media service providers for failure to report quota obligations between January and May 2018. As a result of the review of the media authority, the 28 August meeting of the Media Council already imposed sanctions for violation of monthly reporting obligations on the ratio of European and Hungarian works aired. In order to clarify further issues with seven service providers, the administrative deadline had to be extended. The full list will soon be included in the Media Council’s relevant resolutions and minutes.

Tendering procedure for a commercial radio frequency in Kaposvár continues

During the formal examination of the bids submitted for the commercial use of the local radio frequency Kaposvár 99.9 MHz, after having received the missing documents, the Media Council registered the bid of Mambó Rádió Kft. only, as the other two bidders submitted formally invalid bids. The procedure may continue with the content-based examination of the bids.