NMHH to impose penalty on Rádió 1 for exclusionary remarks
At its latest meeting, the Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) ordered the operator of Rádió 1 to pay a fine of HUF 200 000 and make a statement regarding the exclusionary remarks aired about the Chinese community in the programme entitled Balázsék. The Council is to launch a procedure against the operator of TV2 for the irregular broadcast of political advertisements.
The Council imposed a fine of HUF 200 000 on the operator of Rádió 1, because in a November episode of the programme entitled Balázsék, the hosts were discussing the Chinese community in an exclusionary manner. Besides paying the fine, the operator also has to make an announcement in which it informs the public about its infringement of the law when it broadcast comments that were able to create antagonism and reinforce generalising, stereotypical thoughts against this community, without providing adequate counterpoints.
Based on a complaint, the Council is opening a procedure against the operator of TV2. According to NMHH, it is possible that the communications entitled ”Digitalizáció” [Digitalization] broadcast as a sting advertisement and „Digitalizáció/gyerekek/legnagyobbvállalkozás.hu” [Digitalization/children/greatestenterprise.hu] aired as advertisement should have been broadcast as political advertisements with the related distinctive warning sign and proper indication of who commissioned the communication. Based on their messages, colours and designs, the communications could have promoted the political party called Megoldás Mozgalom.