Hungary

[HU] National Radio and Television Commission Imposes Fine on Pannon Radio

IRIS 2002-2:1/21

Gabriella Cseh

Budapest

The National Radio and Television Commission (NRTC) on 26 October 2001 filed a first written notice to Pannon Radio, a regional commercial broadcaster, in relation to its program entitled "Standard" and imposed a fine of HUF 1 Million (about EUR 4,078).

In September 2001, during the Pannon Radio's "Standard", the full text of an already-published article of the Vice-president of the Hungarian Justice and Life Party (HJLP) and Member of Parliament representing HJLP was read. Originally the article was published in a HJLP party paper. In connection with the article mentioned above, a criminal investigation has already been launched by the Central Criminal Prosecution Investigation Office on suspicion of incitement against a section of society.

According to the NRTC, reading the article on "Standard" was liable to incite hatred against minorities. However, the majority of NRTC's members voted not to file a petition for a criminal investigation against Pannon Radio due to the broadcast of the aforementioned article.

At the same time, the NRTC postponed the examination of a complex analysis of Pannon Radio's programs submitted to the NRTC prior to its session of 26 October 2001. According to this analysis, Pannon radio continuously features in a negative way Jewish, Roma and homosexual minorities by using humiliating and vulgar expressions. As a result, the analysis recommends that the NRTC should impose a fine of HUF 2,3 Million (about EUR 9,381) on Pannon Radio.

According to Article 112 paragraph 4 lit. c) of the Act I of 1996 on Radio and Television ("Media Act"), the NRTC may impose a fine twice or file a written notice to the broadcaster concerned concerning the violation of the Media Act. After the second written notice, the NRTC has to withdraw the broadcaster's license.