HUF 77.7 million for featurettes and HUF 40.8 million in technical support for TV channels and radio stations

Published: 1 September 2017

The Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) decided to award HUF 40.8 million for the technical improvement of television channels and radio stations and another HUF 77.7 million for featurettes. The media service provider of Sport2 received a substantial fine as it violated the legal requirements regarding sound levels in advertising again. In addition, the Council decided to support two film festivals to be held in November.

Sixteen applicants to receive financial support for technical improvement

The Media Council declared 16 applicants as recipients in the first round of the technical tender for community media service providers. Winners will receive HUF 40.8 million in total to purchase on studio, sound and lighting equipment, broadcast signal transmission devices and computer equipment needed for media service provision. Recipients include TV channels such as Bonum TV, Szentgál Televízió, Ladány Televízió in Püspökladány, D+ TV in Dunaújváros, Rábaközi Televízió, Hegyvidék Televízió in Budapest, Mezőtúri Városi Televízió, VKC TV in Budakalász, TV Szentendre and Tatai Televízió, and radio stations such as Klasszik Rádió, Smile FM in Kiskunfélegyháza, Balaton Rádió, Mária Rádió’s studio in Cegléd and Magyar Katolikus Rádió (with two frequencies).

A wide spectrum of featurettes supported

In the first round of this year’s Zoltán Huszárik tender to provide funding for the production of featurettes and experimental films, the Council awarded HUF 77.7 million in total to fund 12 prospective films. Pici Pápai’s prospective film “Varjúháj” (Sedum) tells the story of a boy who experiences his mother’s illness and his own anxiety as a dark, magical threat. Directed by Zoltán Vincze, “A nővérhívó” (Nurse Buzzer) is the hospital “adventure” of four men with spinal cord injuries. The featurette “Katapult” (Catapult) by Balázs Szövényi-Lux would bring the love story of a designer and a girl who comes from the USA to Budapest to the screen. Szonja Szabó’s film “A kék bálna” would depict the Blue Whale phenomenon through the trials and tribulations of two lonely teenagers. Charon, an experimental thriller by Attila Damokos, portrays a cold-blooded, ruthless femme fatale who helps those in need for money. Simon Szabó is going to make a film about a firefighter, entitled Ember a tűzből (Man from the Fire). Márton Szirmai’s prospective film Szerepek (Roles) would focus on a young actor who decides to play different roles in real life for hire, instead of using his talent on stage. Directed by Gábor Holtai, Papírlélek (Paper Spirit) has Dóri, a silent ghost of an apartment block, trying to sabotage the new relationship of her old love, Ádám. In Becsületes megtaláló (Honest Finder) by Dániel Erdélyi, Feri tries to ease his loneliness by stealing dogs from people he picks and giving them back as the finder. The story of the film to be directed by Dávid Borbás, A buszsofőr (The Bus Driver), revolves around the loss of a father in the 1950s. Two siblings spending their vacation at their grandma’s is the basis for Orsi és Tenshinhan (Orsi and Tenshinhan) to be directed by Fanni Szilágyi. Yvonne Kerékgyártó’s film, Gyújtópont (Focus), draws a parallel between a teenage boy falling into sin and an aged artist in his last days.

Advertising too loud again on Sport TV

Between April and June, the media service provider of Sport2 violated the applicable requirements on 14 counts, prompting the Media Council to impose a fine of HUF 980,000 with a view to the fact that the channel had been found to have committed violation on 6 occasions in the past.

Based on an official investigation conducted between 24 and 30 April, Pannon TV received fines of HUF 60,000 in total, due to deviation from the agreed programming and unauthorised connection into network. The media service provider of Karcag FM must pay a HUF 10,000 fine, as the official investigation carried out between 22 and 28 May revealed that it did not make a clear distinction between advertisements and media content and failed to comply with the ratios defined for the presentation of Hungarian musical compositions.

The Council issued a notice to Duna Médiaszolgáltató Zrt., the operator of a public service television channel, due to failure to comply with the requirements for classification recommendations in the online programme guide available at mediaklikk.hu on 29 December 2016 and 30 March 2017. The Council called on the operator to immediately adhere to the demands of lawful conduct and to refrain from such infringements in the future. The Council also issued a notice to Spektrum TV that unlawfully named a company as a sponsor of its non-fiction series Brutális történelem (Brutal History) on 4 April that produces audiovisual programmes and motion pictures.

The Media Council carried out the formal examination of the only tender submitted for the 93.1 MHz local radio frequency in Dunaújváros by Crossborder Film Kft. and registered the tenderer.

Support to festivals

It was decided that the Media Council will contribute to the 17th Hungarian Film Festival of Los Angeles, to be held from 3 to 10 November, where a whole week will be dedicated to presenting films created under the Hungarian Media Patronage Programme; the Media Council will make a HUF 4 million contribution to the events of the festival as part of this cooperation. The Council will also contribute to the 17th Lakitelek Film Festival to be held between 7 and 9 November, offering HUF 500,000 for the Special Award.