HUF 55 million for funding the operating costs of 12 television channels and radio stations

Published: 8 June 2020

According to the decision of the Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH), 7 television and 5 radio stations will receive grants for overhead and operating costs in a total of over HUF 55 million. Televisions under foreign jurisdiction continue to broadcast loud advertisements, as stated in a document approved by the board. The Media Council also decided to publish a call for tenders for a radio frequency in Szeged and another in Pápa.

Grants for community and small community media service providers

In the third round of the tender available to community media service providers for financing their overhead and operation costs, the Media Council awarded over HUF 55 million worth of funds to 12 applicants. Non-repayable grants are provided to 7 television stations: Csurgói Városi Televízió, Hajdúnánási Televízió, Kiskőrös Televízió, Somogy TV, Móra-Net TV of Mórahalom, BonumTV of Budapest and Pannon Televízió of Pécs. 5 radio operators have also been awarded: Radio Monošter of Szentgotthárd, Rádió Smile of Kiskunfélegyháza, Klasszik Rádió 92.1 of Budapest, Balaton Rádió of Siófok and Mustár Rádió of Nyíregyháza.

The board changed the submission deadline in the fourth round of the tender from 4 June to 11 June.

Television channels with foreign jurisdiction broadcast too loud advertisements

The Media Council also adopted a document concerning excessive loudness of television channels in foreign jurisdictions broadcasting in Hungarian, according to which, among others, Comedy Central, Eurosport 1 and Viasat 3 broadcast advertisements and previews 3 to 6 decibels louder than the volume of surrounding programmes. For years, the NMHH have been regularly measuring the loudness of advertisements, teleshopping spots and previews compared to the surrounding programmes, and today there are very few cases when a television channel under Hungarian jurisdiction violates the relevant rule, and if so, mostly due to technical issues. The document will be available on the NMHH website within a few days.

Radio frequency and media supervisory-related decisions

The Council finalised the tender announcements for the community use of the Szeged 100.2 MHz regional and Pápa 92.7 MHz local radio frequencies. The board also completed the formal review of the bids submitted in the procedures for the local frequencies of Cece 91.6 MHz and Székesfehérvár 99.2 MHz: in the former case Katolikus Rádió Zrt. and FM 4 Rádió Kft., while in the latter case Fehérvár Médiacentrum Kft. as the sole bidder have been registered as bidders.

The Media Council imposed a fine of HUF 10 thousand on the operator of Balaton Rádió of Siófok for airing less spoken word content as well as public service broadcasts and programmes dealing with and assisting local public and everyday life than stipulated in its contractual commitments. The radio station also violated the statutory provision on public service programmes and exceeded its commitment to the maximum ratio of music.

When imposing a fine, the Media Council always determines the form and extent of the sanctions with due consideration of all circumstances of the specific case and employing the principles of progressiveness and proportionality.