Twenty-four television programmes to be produced from over HUF 127 million worth of funds

The Media Council announced the winners of the second round of this year’s tender for the production of news, public and cultural infotainment programmes under its grant programme for local and regional television stations. Twenty-four tenders from twenty-three television stations were awarded a total of HUF 127 million worth of grants. Grants for the production of public infotainment magazines were awarded to Városi Televízió of Csurgó and Mohács, Móra-Net TV, Gotthárd TV, Szentgál Televízió, Ladány Televízió as well as City TV of Budapest. Winners of the news programmes category include Kölcsey Televízió of Nyíregyháza, Soproni Televízió and Karcagi Televízió, Zemplén TV of Sátoraljaújhely, Városi Televízió of Gyöngyös and Ózd, Körös Televízió of Szarvas as well as Csaba TV and 7.Tv of Békéscsaba. Zalaegerszegi Televízió, Keszthelyi Televízió and Fehérvári Televízió, Pápa Városi Televízió, TV Budakalász, Zemplén TV of Sátoraljaújhely, Három Televízió of Százhalombatta and hatoscsatorna of Budapest can use the grants to produce cultural infotainment programmes.

Radio tenders and media supervisory decisions

The Media Council has approved the draft tender announcements for the community use of the Zalaegerszeg 104.4 MHz and Mosonmagyaróvár 99.7 MHz local, as well as Nyíregyháza 106.8 MHz regional frequencies.

The board has called on the NMHH to develop the frequency plan of the Budapest 98.0 MHz regional radio media service opportunity, thanks to which the frequency will soon be available for tender applications again. As is known, in October 2019, the Media Council did not extend the media service provision rights, expiring after seven years, of Civil Rádió which operated at the time on the 98.0 MHz frequency, due to the fact that the extension was not possible pursuant to the Media Act due to the service provider’s repeated infringements. Thanks to the decision at this week’s meeting of the Media Council, the owners of Civil Rádió have the opportunity to submit a tender for operating a community radio service on the 98.0 MHz frequency.

The Media Council imposed a fine of HUF 100,000 on the operator of Mária Rádió Savaria of Szombathely for airing fewer self-produced and nationality programmes as well as those dealing with and assisting local public and everyday life compared with its contractual commitments during a reviewed programming week in June. After examining a broadcast day in June of Répce TV, the Council imposed a fine of HUF 20 thousand on the television channel’s service provider for unauthorised networking with Rádió 1 when showing teletext messages and airing a radio programme and has banned such unlawful conduct. The radio’s service provider was unaware of the networking.

When imposing legal consequences, the Media Council always determines the form and extent of those with due consideration to all the circumstances of the specific case and employing the principle of progressiveness and proportionality.