HUF 76 million for radio programmes

Twenty-seven commercial, community and small-community radios received grants amounting to approximately HUF 76 million in the third round of the Media Council’s 2019 tender supporting the production of news, thematic and public interest infotainment programmes. According to the decision made at the Council’s session this week: in the category of news programmes, grants were awarded to Lakihegy Rádió, Egerszeg Rádió, Táska Rádió of Székesfehérvár, Európa Rádió or Sátoraljaújhely, 103.9 Best FM of Nyíregyháza, Rádió 1 of Szeged, Zalaegerszeg, Kiskunmajsa and Békéscsaba, Rádió Dabas, Tamási Rádió, KORONA FM 100 of Kalocsa, as well as Karc FM, Manna FM and Klasszik Rádió 92.1 of Budapest. Grants for the production of infotainment programmes of public interest were received by Rádió Szentendre, Csillagpont Rádió of Miskolc, 101.7 Pécs FM, 90.4 Rádió 1 of Szolnok, Rádió 7 of Hódmezővásárhely, Alpha Rádió of Székesfehérvár, 99.4 Sunshine FM of Nyíregyháza and Csaba Rádió of Békéscsaba. Funds for the production of thematic infotainment programmes were granted to Rádió 24 of Dunaújváros, CREDO Rádió of Szombathely, FM90 Campus Rádió of Debrecen and 90.9 Jazzy Rádió of Budapest.

The Media Council approved next year’s supervisory plan

The board accepted the Media Council’s supervisory plan for 2020. In the year to come, NMHH will continue to pursue the objective of the continuous monitoring of media service providers and social media platforms, while devoting attention – amongst other things – to the volume of advertisements, the enforcement of the statutory limit of thirty-five – instead of the previous twenty – per cent share of non-public service tabloid crime news on major news services, as well as the quantitative analyses of news and infotainment programmes. The compliance of media service providers with child protection requirements is a separate field of investigation along with the extent of operators using the age-rating category of ‘not recommended under six years of age’. The Media Council also plans to continue reviewing the film age-rating practices of media service providers next year along with examining television services from September of next year for assisting those with sight as well as hearing impairment. As a new task of the 2020 supervisory plan, the board will monitor compliance with effective technical measures for the protection of minors. The general supervisory plan is available on the Authority’s website .

Decisions on radio media service broadcasting opportunities.

On Thursday, the Media Council finalised and published on its website the invitation to tender for the commercial use of the Körmend 99.8 MHz local radio media service. Bids may be submitted on 15 January 2020. On Thursday, the Council published on the NMHH website the draft text of the tenders for the Miskolc 103.8 MHz, Siklós 88.6 MHz and Szigetvár 98.9 MHz local community radio media service broadcasting opportunities.

The full agenda of the Media Council’s weekly sessions can be found on the Council’s website, along with the minutes of the meetings and all decisions taken; the latest decisions will be published after the necessary validation and administration period.