Decisions concerning radio tenders

In the tender for the South Budapest 90.9 MHz radio frequency, the Media Council announced Magyar Jazz Rádió Kft., the only bidder to submit a bid and currently broadcasting, as the winner. The media service provider will continue to broadcast its community programmes under the name 90.9 Jazzy Rádió. Based on the Council’s decision, the winner of the tender for the commercial use of the Zalaegerszeg 88.9 MHz frequency is LB Rádió. The winning bidders are granted authorisation for up to seven years, which period, depending on the conditions set forth in the Media Act, may be extended for an additional five years.

The Media Council finalised and published on its website the call for bids for the community use of the Dunaújváros 99.1 MHz and the commercial use of the Győr 96.4 MHz local radio frequencies. Bids may be submitted on the 11^th and 20^th of February.

At the joint request of the media service providers, the Media Council authorised the networking of Rádió Zala Egyszemélyes Kft. broadcasting at Zalaegerszeg 95.8 MHz with the Budapest rights of Radio Plus Kft., and that the radio continue its operation under the name 95.8 Rádió 1. At the request of the media service provider LB Rádió Kft., the Media Council authorised the name change from 98.9 Rádió 1 to Hajdúsági Rádió 1 in the coverage areas of Hajdúböszörmény, Hajdúszoboszló, Hajdúnánás and Derecske. The operator supported its request by pointing out that the radio station only uses the 98.9 MHz frequency in the Hajdúböszörmény coverage area, so the current name is misleading in the other coverage areas.

Media supervisory decisions

During one of its September programming weeks, Rádió 1 of Székesfehérvár and Hajdúnánás aired fewer programmes dealing with local community and facilitating local everyday life. In addition, the station aired different signature tunes and played less Hungarian music than those agreed upon in their public contract. The Media Council imposed a fine of HUF 50,000 on the operator of the Hajdúnánás radio station, and called upon the operator of the Székesfehérvár station to comply with the provisions of its public contract.

During one of its October programming weeks, Karc FM, in addition to having more reruns, aired fewer public service broadcasts and those dealing with the local community and facilitating local everyday lives, fewer Budapest news, economic, financial and business programmes than those agreed upon in the public service contract. The board imposed a fine of HUF 40,000 on the operator.

When imposing a fine, the Media Council always determines the form and extent of the fine with due consideration to all the circumstances of the specific case, including all similar violations previously committed by the operator as well as the viewership and listenership ratios of the endangered age group, and employs the principle of progressiveness and proportionality.