Decisions concerning radio frequencies

The NMHH Media Council announced the results of tender procedures for the community use of three, currently unused radio frequencies. FM 4 Rádió Kft. won the tenders for both the Törökbálint 97.6 MHz and the Göd 97.3 MHz frequencies, as the sole bidder for the latter. Mária Rádió from Budapest will broadcast on both frequencies as a result of a coverage expansion. Karc FM Média Kft., as the sole bidder, won the tender for the Dunaújváros 99.1 MHz frequency where Karc FM Radio will be broadcasting as a result of a coverage expansion.

The Council adopted the draft invitations to tender for the commercial use of the Békés 94.4 MHz and the Budaörs 104.8 MHz local radio frequencies, available on the NMHH’s website from 2nd and 8th May, respectively.

At the request of the operator, the Media Council extended the licence held by the operator of Mega Rádió, broadcasting on the Orosháza 90.2 MHz local radio frequency, for another five years, until 1 August 2024. The Council approved the request of the local radio operator broadcasting on the Eger 100.7 MHz frequency to change the permanent name of the service from FM7 100.7 to 100.7 – BEST FM.

Media Surveillance Decisions

The Media Council imposed a HUF 130,000 fine on the operator of Ozone TV for incorrect age rating as the previews for its show “Indonézia 4 arca – Toraja” (The 4 Faces of Indonesia - Toraja) could only have been aired in the 9PM to 5AM time slot in accordance with the age rating of the show they promoted. The Council levied a HUF 10,000 fine on the operator of Karcag FM as the review of a programming week in February revealed that it dedicated less transmission time to programme elements dealing with local public life and providing help in everyday life, broadcasting fewer public-service programmes and more repetition than undertaken.

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 and employs the principle of progressiveness and proportionality.

In a new procedure initiated on the basis of a decision by the Curia, the Council concluded that TV2 complied with the requirement for balanced communication in the 12 September 2018 edition of its programme Tények (Facts). According to the Authority’s decision, the balance should be achieved in the series of a given programme, given that the information covered a major event, namely the Sargentini Report, that cannot be presented in one single edition of the programme. Opinions and reactions concerning this case were not expressed at the same time, and therefore the media service provider informed its viewers on a continuous basis, following a linear timeline.

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.