Nearly HUF 220 million worth of grants to thirty-one television and radio stations
To support their running and operational costs, community radio and television stations were awarded more than HUF 218 million at the meeting of the Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) this week. The Medial Council imposed a penalty on the service provider of RTL Klub for irregular product placement and cautioned Csaba TV for broadcasting adverts without the distinctive warning signs. Based on the notifications transmitted by the Media Council, the Czech partner authority called on the service providers of Film Mánia and Comedy Central to comply with the Hungarian age-rating rules.
Nine radio stations and twenty-two television stations receive non-repayable grants
In the first round of this year’s tender for community media service providers, the Media Council has decided to provide grants to thirty-one applicants in excess of HUF 218.87 million to support their running costs and operational costs. The television stations receiving grants include Irány TV of Ládbesenyő, TiszapART Televízió of Szeged, TV Szentendre, Kiskőrös Televízió, Füzesabonyi Városi Televízió, KisDuna TV Dunaharaszti, Tatai Televízió, Kistelek Városi Televízió, Kőrös Televízió of Csabacsűd, Szentes Televízió, Gólya TV of Bercel, Hajdúnánási Televízió, Mezőtúri Városi Televízió, Danubia Televízió of Tahitótfalu, Pannon Televízió of Pécs, RTV Szekszárd, and Sárrét TV of Püspökladány, Kék Kállótelevízió, Ladány Televízió as well as hatoscsatorna, Hegyvidék Televízió and Apostol TV of Budapest. The radio stations receiving grants include Táska Rádió of Székesfehérvár, Radio Monoster of Szentgotthárd, FM90 Campus Rádió of Debrecen, Csillagpont Rádió of Miskolc, Mária Rádió of Veszprém as well as Trend FM and Klasszik Rádió 92.1 of Budapest and Magyar Katolikus Rádió on the 96.1 MHz and 92.3 MHz frequencies.
Radio tenders and decisions of the Media Council
Today, the Media Council will publish the finalised invitations to tender for the use in principle of small-community radio media service opportunities in Budapest – Astoria (downtown). Bids may be submitted for the tender on 17 March.
The council imposed a penalty of HUF 300,000 on the service provider of RTL Klub for violating product placement rules when presenting a private clinic in one of the episodes of the Reggeli programme at the end of August, and encouraging the use of the service, highlighting the clinic’s equipment and features.
The Media Council warned Csaba TV for broadcasting an advert five times without the distinctive warning sign last October, which is why it called upon the channel’s service provider to comply with the legal requirements.
When imposing a fine, the Media Council always assesses the type and level of legal consequence based on a graduated approach and the principle of proportionality by taking into account all the circumstances of each case.
Two channels were cautioned by the Czech partner authority after intervention by NMHH
In two procedures initiated on the basis of notifications by the Media Council, the Czech partner authority, RRTV, established that the service providers of Film Mánia and Comedy Central, broadcasting in Hungary under its jurisdiction, had not violated Czech law when the former showed the film Jaws in July and the latter broadcast the Family Guy series in May without age-ratings and at an inappropriate time. However, both programmes, rated as “Not recommended under the age of 16”, should have been broadcast by the channels only between 9 pm and 5 am, under Hungarian law, so the partner authority cautioned the service providers to comply also with the stricter Hungarian regulations, especially with regard to the Hungarian age-ratings.
The full agenda of the weekly meetings of the Media Council is available on the council’s website together with the minutes of the sessions and all the resolutions – the latest documents are published after the necessary certification and administration processes.