The Media Council has fined national commercial TV station TV2 a total of HUF 23 million (EUR 78,800) for three content-related violations and an additional HUF 2.5 million fine for a violation related to advertising. TV2 was fined HUF 12.5 million (EUR 42,000) for its program, “Mokka,” which asked the audience to vote on the […]
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Media Council investigates public TV station on charge of violating content regulations for minors
The Media Council has launched a public proceeding against public TV station M1 to determine whether it violated rules protecting minors from viewing violent or sexually explicit content, HVG reports. According to the Media Council, the station’s Camelot program contains sexually explicit and violent material that warrants a stricter “over 16 year old” rating, which […]
Council of Europe and Hungarian Government agree on changes to media laws
Following months of negotiations with the Council of Europe, Hungarian lawmakers are expected to introduce a set of amendments to the media laws that include changes to the appointment system and term lengths of members of the Media Council, the rules on source protection, and balanced reporting requirements for broadcasters, according to an announcement by […]
Media Authority study finds an increase in negative news coverage of Roma
Compared with the previous six months, the Hungarian media’s coverage of Roma grew quantitatively more negative in the first half of 2012, while there were fewer negative stories about political migrants, according to an analysis by the Media Authority (NMHH).
Hungarian media laws spark call for EU-wide regulation of media pluralism
Following an investigation of the 2010 Hungarian media laws, an expert group led by Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the former Latvian president, has published a report proposing the establishment of EU-wide regulations aimed at safeguarding media pluralism and freedom.
European Parliament group says Hungarian media laws needs more changes
Despite the changes that have been made since its adoption, the 2010 Hungarian media laws still have major flaws and need further amendment, according to a January 17 working document that was discussed in a January 21 meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in Brussels.
IMG wins another government tender
Budapest-based IMG, a company specializing in media buying and media planning, won its second major government tender in two months with a HUF 2 billion (nearly EUR 7 million) contract from the Media Authority (NMHH) to run the communications strategy for Hungary’s digital switchover, Kreatív Online reports.
MTVA chief discusses layoffs, censorship charges
The top manager of Hungary’s public media discussed staff cuts and charges of state censorship in an interview in pro-government newspaper Heti Válasz. István Böröcz, the CEO of the Media Services and Asset Management Fund (MTVA), said that staff restructuring would be completed by the fall of 2013. As many as 900 public media workers […]
Bayer’s anti-Roma rant draws fire
An article by one of the Fidesz party founders, who wrote that Roma are “animals,” has stirred sharp condemnation from senior European Commission officials, human rights groups, and media associations in Europe and Hungary. In early January, conservative commentator Zsolt Bayer wrote an editorial in the pro-government newspaper Magyar Hírlap in which he claimed that […]
Trade union leaders are also on the public media layoff list
Ten trade union leaders are reportedly on the list of employees to be fired from the public media under the plans of the Media Services and Asset Management Fund (MTVA), which manages Hungary’s public media. András Lázár, the president of the Unified Media Trade Union criticized the plan, saying it is “far from the style […]
Latest public media layoffs capped at 195
The latest round of layoffs from the public media will be no higher than 195 workers, and the aid fund for those who are dismissed will increase to HUF 31.6 million, under an agreement between the body managing public media and its workers, according to reports.
Neo radio continues its life online
After losing its broadcast license in a court battle with the Media Council in November, Neo FM has reopened online as neoworldradio.hu. Neo’s owner Mihály Medveczky said that the station plans to continue their operation on the internet, Médiajogfigyelő reports. Neo FM ceased broadcasting November 10 after the Media Authority sued the company for unpaid broadcast […]
Amid staff layoffs, public media turns to government-linked private production firms
Outgoing editorial staff of Hungary’s public media say that management is outsourcing production to external contractors to compensate for the lack of internal staff, according to Vasárnapi Hírek. Hungary’s public media management company, the MTVA, has laid off around 1,000 public media staff since 2011, claiming the cuts are necessary to trim bloated budget costs. The paper […]
Top writer claims censorship by public radio
Hungarian writer Peter Esterházy has claimed that public radio station Kossuth Radio censored his monthly arts review to exclude comments encouraging listeners to attend the final productions by National Theater director Róbert Alföldi. The director’s provocative presentations, which have earned him international acclaim, have riled conservatives in Hungary’s center-right Fidesz party since his appointment to head […]
