Seven new episodes to animated film series can be produced with patronage support

In the third round of the Macskássy Gyula tender announced last year to support the production of animated films under the Hungarian Media Patronage Programme, the Media Council awarded a total of HUF 56.9 million to seven filmmakers. In the next episode of Cserebogarak (May Bugs) about Hungarian champions, Ervin B. Nagy can bring to life three-time Olympic champion boxer László Papp and the sport of boxing using digital animation techniques, while in the first episode of Puskás Öcsi és barátai (Öcsi Puskás and his friends), Csaba Gellár can recall the first years of the life of the world famous Hungarian football player and a role model for many children. Líviusz Gyulai can create a new episode to the animated series based on Mark Twain’s novel entitled Egy jenki Arthur király udvarában (A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court), in which a 19^th century American attempts to modernise early medieval England of the Knights of the Round Table. Zoltán Miklósy can continue the series Szőrmók Ovi (Bugaboo Garten) about Lola’s special invention that cleans everyone up , while Ferenc Rófusz invites kids to a Thai lake full of flowers in the second part of the new season of Hoppi mesék (Hoppi Tales). Based on a book by Zsuzsa Tamás with the same title, Iván Tamás will prepare the first part of the new mini-series entitled Macskakirálylány (The Cat Pricess) telling the story of a cat popping into the life of the Blue Prince, who feels enchanted from the inside. Based on a book by Andrea Magyar, Bálint Farkas Gelley can direct a new episode entitled “Döbrögi” for the paper cutout series Átjáró Másvárosba (Door to Othertown).

HUF 8 million for the production of online public service media content

In the second round of the Neumann János tender supporting the production and publishing of online content announced last year, seven Hungarian and one cross-border artists received a grant of HUF 1 million each from the patronage programme. Entitled Mi az autonómia? (What is autonomy?), the short non-fiction series by karcagtv.hu will uncover Szekler self-determination efforts of past and present, while Láger a határon (Camp on the border) will tell the story of the Ostffyasszonyfa World War I prison camp and its mostly forgotten tragedies. Vasi filmdal-csokor (A collection of filmed folk songs from Vas County) will be on display on the website of Szombathely Television (sztv.hu), while bonumtv.hu will feature a report documentary entitled Családban maradva (Staying in the family) about the cohesive power of the family in hard times. Mandiner.hu will feature a series of short, religious non-fiction series entitled Élő templomok (Living churches) by visiting Tákos, Csengersima and Tiszabökény. Two short non-fiction series will be available on the website of the Cegléd Municipal Television (ctv.hu): Sándy 150 will visit the most famous churches of the greater Budapest area designed by Gyula Sándi, the chief architect of the Lutheran Church in Hungary born 150 years ago; the other, entitled Randevú az állambiztonsággal (Randevus with the state security) will portray the types of secret meeting places and objects operated by the Hungarian state security services. The bidder from outside Hungary can produce episode two of the three-episode series entitled Történelem a Maros sodrásában (History in the flow of the Mureș) portraying historic Hungarian architectural heritage along the Mures; the new episode will also be presented by filmdzsungel.hu.

Decisions concerning radio and television programmes

At the request of the operator, the Media Council authorised the media service provider with community licence for the regional radio frequency Budapest 98.6 MHz to start operations under the name Manna FM instead of Cross FM. Aside from the change in the permanent name, the other clauses of the public contract remain unchanged.

The Board also agreed to P1 Rádió Kft. operating 101.7 Pécs FM to modify its radio image as of 1 February, as P1 Rádió Kft. requested, in order to remain competitive even after the national commercial radio appears on the market. From now on, the radio will air selected hits of the last 15 to 20 years, instead of the period from the 1960s to the turn of the millennium as stipulated in its contract.

In the formal review of the bids submitted for the tenders announced for the commercial utilisation of the local radio frequency Dabas 93.4 MHz, the Media Council called upon the sole bidder, Dabas Sportcsarnok Nonprofit Kft., to submit the missing documents.

Upon request by the media service provider with reference to insolvency, the Council terminated the provisional public contract for the provision of local commercial television services for Hódmezővásárhely Channel 44 - Vásárhelyi TV.

The full agenda of the Media Council’s 5^th weekly meeting is available on the Board’s website. The minutes of the meeting and all decisions will also be available after the necessary authentication and administration procedure is completed.