TV advertising market is over the worst
Even though the number of advertisements broadcast this June was over a third less then the approximately 40,000 spots of the same month last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, it still exceeded the figures of May by 7,000, the study of the Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) adopted at this week’s session reveals. Among others, the board also processed applications for payment by instalments made by radio operators, performed the formal examination of a frequency in Pápa and imposed a fine on two rural radio channels.
The monthly decline of the TV advertising market leveled off in June
The most recent monthly report in the series of studies appraising the transformation of the television advertising market during the coronavirus pandemic, carried out by NMHH and adopted by the Media Council, has shown that a total of 22,000-28,000 advertising spots were broadcast in June 2020, while in the same month last year, this figure was 38,000-41,000. Of these amounts, however, the number of new commercials was almost identical (361 vs 371). Overall — even though the continued downward trend has come to a halt, what is more, there is even a slight increase compared to May —, the numbers are still low when compared to a year before. The survey covered 76 Hungarian-language television channels and will be available on the website of NMHH within a few days.
Radio tenders and fines
The Media Council has carried out the formal examination of the single bid submitted for the community use of the Pápa 92.7 MHz frequency with a local coverage area, and registered the bid submitted by Katolikus Rádió Zrt.
In view of the revenue loss caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Media Council honoured the requests submitted by the operators of Best FM broadcasting in Nyíregyháza and Eger, as well as Rádió 1 of Kiskunfélegyháza, Kiskunmajsa and Győr, and authorised payment of their media service provision fees of the third quarter in three monthly instalments.
The Media Council also imposed a fine of HUF 30,000 on the operator of MaxiRádió of Gyöngyös for airing less Hungarian music, news and programmes dealing with and assisting local public and everyday life and more reruns than stipulated in its contractual commitments during a reviewed programming week in March. In the case of public service broadcasts, it failed to fulfil its contractual commitments as well as the statutory obligations.
The Council also imposed a fine of HUF 25,200 on the operator of Rádió Szarvas for the late fulfilment of its reporting obligation required for the monitoring of programme quotas.
When imposing a fine, the Media Council always determines the form and extent of the sanctions with due consideration of all circumstances of the specific case and employing the principles of progressiveness and proportionality.
The full agenda of the Media Council’s weekly sessions can be found on the Board’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.