Media Council imposes fines for music tracks
The Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) sanctioned the media service provider Base FM for broadcasting music at an inappropriate time and with the wrong age rating. The panel also imposed a fine on ATV for a television programme that disregarded the rules governing product placement.
Base FM broadcast 11 music tracks in five different music programme streams in the wrong age category and at an inappropriate time, and therefore the Media Council imposed a total fine of HUF 3,500,000 on LBK Base Kft. and ordered it to publish a notice of the infringement. It also imposed a fine of HUF 50,000 on the media service provider’s executive officer for the repeated infringement.
In the segment of the programme Start+ about the Budapest Wholesale Market, broadcast on ATV on 17 November 2025 at 8.26 a.m., information of an advertising nature was presented that exceeded the limits of lawful product placement. Due to the infringement, the panel imposed a fine of HUF 300,000 on the media service provider ATV Zrt.
Following a complaint from a citizen, the panel examined a commercial communication for compliance with the rules on grants and publication of commercial communications and the classification provisions, but found no infringement.
A whistleblower also criticised the advertising of a major telecommunications company. The panel also examined the advertisement in the light of the rules on the prohibition of publication of commercial communications offensive to religious or philosophical beliefs and the provisions protecting minors, but found no infringement in this case.
