Media Council brings proceedings against disguised commercial communication
The Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) has initiated proceedings against HírTV Zrt. for reports on homicide and Mediaworks Hungary Zrt. for publishing veiled commercial announcements. However, the guitar-smashing act on the “Csillag születik” [A Star is Born] programme was not found to be in breach of the law.
Mambó Rádió Kft. violated its obligation to broadcast a programme in accordance with the terms of its public contract during the week of 2–8 March 2026 when providing its commercial media service under the permanent name of Villány 100.9 Rádió 1, for which the Media Council issued a warning and ordered it to comply with the law.
In its proceedings concerning the programmes “Riasztás” [Alarm] broadcast on Hír TV permanent media service at 22:30 on 22 October 2025 and at 22:30 on 25 February 2026, the Council is examining the application of the classification provisions. The media service provider HírTV Zrt. elaborates on a 2023 homicide case in these programmes, which are also available on its on-demand media service.
The Media Council has also brought proceedings against Balaton Rádió Kft. to determine whether the programme of the small community BALATON RÁDIÓ, which aired on Siófok-Fokihegy 88.7 MHz between 9 and 15 March 2026, complied with the terms of the media service provider’s public service contract and the legal requirements regarding the weekly broadcasting time of public service programmes.
Several articles of the online press product kisalföld.hu may have violated the legal provision prohibiting the publication of implied commercial communications; therefore, the Media Council has initiated proceedings against the media content provider Mediaworks Hungary Zrt.
Based on a citizen’s complaint, the Council examined fulfilment of the legal obligation to respect human dignity and compliance with the provisions protecting minors in connection with a guitar-smashing performance on the talent show “Csillag születik – 2. rész” [A Star is Born – Part 2] broadcast on RTL on 30 November 2025 at 21:15, but found no infringement.
A report has also been received about the volume of the commercial break in the 30th episode of the 5th season of “Exatlon Hungary” on the on-demand service TV2 Play. However, the Media Council cannot examine the volume of advertising on on-demand media services.