HUF 9 million is awarded for the production of online content

Nine bidders – two of them cross-border – received grants last year in the total amount of HUF nine million in the third round of the János Neumann tender of the Hungarian Media Patronage Programme. The documentary series Tiltott Kastélyok (Forbidden Castles) will be continued on magyaridok.hu, with an episode on the Daniel castle at Olasztelek. On the same portal, the new episodes of Természetes Egészség (Natural Health) will walk the viewers through the various uses of dandelion and wild garlic. A documentary series on the life of three significant Hungarian doctors will be presented on sztv.hu with the title Fehérköpenyesek (Lab coats). The new episodes of Élő Templomok (Living Churches) on mandiner.hu will feature the reformed churches of Csaroda, Huszt and Nagyszekeres. Two series will be made for ctv.hu: Trianon 100 will view the historical processes leading up to the peace treaty, while Védett vezetők (Protected Leaders) will provide an in-depth look into the role of the political police in the everyday lives of the leaders of the party-state. The five-episode series A magyar Rocco és fivérei (The Hungarian Rocco and His Brothers), on bonumtv.hu, will discuss the topics of leaving one’s homeland and discovering acting as one’s future profession, with the actors of the National Theatre working in provincial theatres.

Two cross-border bidders have also received funding: Történelem a Maros sodrásában (History in the tides of Maros) will feature the vintage castles along the Maros river, namely Radnó, Kutyafalva and Marosújvár on filmdzsungel.hu. The other, three-episode-series on amateur and experimental filmmakers in Transylvania will be shown on Kulturpart.hu.

Grants for film festivals

The board has awarded HUF 500 thousand to the winner of the 26th National Student Film Festival, held between 21-25 August. At the Mediawave International Film and Music Gathering, taking place between 30 April and 4 May, the Media Council will award HUF 500 thousand to each of the winners of the best Hungarian documentary and short film categories. The Media Council has offered HUF 500 thousand for the best Hungarian fiction and animation film chosen by the jury at the BuSho International Short Film Festival. The event will take place between 27 August and 1 September in Budapest. The Media Council will grant HUF 1 million each to the winners of the Yellow Colt Award and the Filmgalopp grand prize at the 19th Filmtettfeszt Transylvanian Hungarian Film Festival, to be held between 3 and 9 October.

Decisions concerning radio frequencies

Upon the media service provider’s request, the Media Council has extended the broadcasting right of Félegyházi Hírlap Kft. for two separate frequencies for a period of five years, until 22 June 2024. Thus, Rádió 1 can continue broadcasting on the Kiskunmajsa 88.2 MHz and the Kiskunfélegyháza 91.1 MHz frequencies with the 88.2 Radio 1 and 91.1 Radio 1 Sirius channels.

After the formal review of the Dunaújváros 99.1 MHz local community radio frequency tender procedure, the Media Council registered the sole bidder Karc FM Média Kft. The procedure will continue with the content-based examination of the bids.

Media supervisory decisions

The Media Council imposed a fine of HUF 70 thousand on Rádió Hello Kft. operating on the network of Rádió 1, broadcasting on the Heves 93.7 MHz frequency. The fine was imposed because the operator had broadcast fewer Hungarian music tracks, public service programs and shows on local public and daily life during the reviewed programming week in February compared to what it had undertaken in the public contract.

The Media Council also imposed a fine of HUF 225 thousand on the provider Szent István Radio of Törökszentmiklós because on several occasions in January it did not use its permanent name recorded in its public contract and broadcasted less spoken content, music, Hungarian music and news programs than it had undertaken. In addition, it exceeded its commitments made on the maximum number of repeated shows.

NMHH reviewed the fulfilment of the data provision obligations of media service providers for the period between 1 June to 31 December 2018. According to the media law, a certain number of media service providers are required to supply monthly information to the Media Council to monitor compliance with the requirements for program quotas. The Council warned or imposed fines on media service providers not meeting the deadline.

When imposing a fine, the Media Council always determines the form and extent of the fine with due consideration to all circumstances of the specific case, including all other violations in the same subject previously committed by the operator, along with the audience ratios of the endangered age group, and employs the principle of progressiveness and proportionality.

The full agenda of the Media Council’s weekly sessions can be found on the Board’s website, along with the minutes of meetings and all decisions taken; the latest decisions will be published after the required validation and administration period.