Draft invitation to tender for national commercial radio frequency open for consultation

Published: 7 July 2017

In accordance with the decisions made at its last session, the Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) published the draft invitation to tender for national analogue commercial radio media service provision. The Council imposed fines totalling HUF 8.12 million on TV2’s operator for non-compliant product placement in the show “Stahl konyhája” (Stahl’s kitchen). Operators of four television channels received warnings for broadcasting prohibited gambling advertisements indirectly.

Decisions concerning radio frequencies

The Media Council has adopted the frequency plan extending the existing coverage to the Fehérgyarmat, Gerecse, Szentes and Vasvár sites, put on public display between 7-21 June, for the purpose of issuing an invitation to tender for the national commercial radio media service option and approved the draft invitation to tender, available on the NMHH’s website from Thursday. No comments were received on the frequency plan that had been open for public consultation for two weeks, while the NMHH will hold a public hearing within 20 to 30 days from the date of publication. The Media Council will decide on the finalisation of the invitation to tender within 45 days thereafter.

The preparatory work for the national commercial radio tender procedure was relaunched due to the final judgment at second instance rendered on 14 March in the court proceedings brought by Advenio Műsorszolgáltató Zrt. confirming that the NMHH may continue its work concerning the new tender procedure as there are no legal grounds to suspend the implementation of the relevant NMHH decision. This means that the procedural obstacle to the new national radio frequency tender has been removed. The aim of the tender is to maintain the national dual media system and ensure that, besides public-service radio stations, a commercial radio station can operate again in Hungary as a result of the procedure, offering extended coverage, with the possibility of 69.3% stereo public access.

LB Rádió Kft. won the tender procedures launched for use of the Hajdúböszörmény 98.9 MHz, Hajdúnánás 93.3 MHz and Hajdúszoboszló 100.6 MHz frequencies, being the only tenderer that submitted valid tenders both in terms formalities and content, and will broadcast connected into a network with Radio Plus Kft.

Media supervisory decisions: irregularities in the show “Stahl konyhája”, unlawful gambling advertisements

The Media Council imposed fines totalling HUF 8.12 million for on TV2’s operator for irregular product placement and violation of sponsorship rules. In the “Ragyogó ötletek” (Brilliant ideas) segment featured in several episodes of “Stahl konyhája ” (Stahl’s kitchen) that aired in the first quarter of this year, it was announced that product placement was to be shown, but a washing machine cleaning product was featured for a long time, with undue emphasis, as if put on display, and directly encouraged the purchase of a sponsor’s product, violating sponsorship rules, 14 times each.

Media operators of M4 Sport, Spíler TV, Sport1 and Sport2 received warnings due to showing advertisements of an unlicensed gambling operator in relation to a book on football. Advertisements for the book aired on these channels in March and April and, although being classic commercials, featured the logo of Unibet, a betting operator unlicensed by the National Tax and Customs Administration, on the product’s cover and pages as an indirect commercial message.

The operator of Rádió FM 87.8 MHz in Érd received a HUF 30,000 fine from the Media Council as the inspection of one of the small-community radio’s weekly programmes for February revealed that the operator broadcasted less news programmes, programmes concerning with local public life and lifestyle, and public-service programmes than the minimum specified by the Media Act and also aired less speech and Hungarian music than its commitments.

When applying legal consequences, the Media Council always determines the applied form and measure in accordance with the principle of progressiveness and proportionality, whilst considering all circumstances of the case.

Media Councils supports film festival in Zalaegerszeg

The Council will provide a total of HUF 1.5 million in support of the XIII. Göcsej Filmszemle (13th Göcsej Film Festival), offering this amount to the winners of the featurette, documentary and film étude categories. The Film Festival to be held on 16 September is open to submission until 13 August.