Hungary

[HU] Experimental Interactive TV Services Launched

IRIS 2003-3:1/22

Márk Lengyel

Körmendy-Ékes & Lengyel Consulting, Budapest

The new services are currently at an experimental stage, and are available in the area around Budapest via the digital terrestrial transmitter operated by AH. According to the company's press release it is intended to extend the services to the whole territory of Hungary and to satellite broadcasts as well.

The introduction of such new technologies raises questions about the applicability of the instruments of the existing Hungarian regulatory framework.

In the present case the newly-introduced digital superteletext service falls under the scope of Act No 1 of 1996 on Radio and Television Services, which qualifies this activity as a value added service and not as broadcasting. Accordingly this classification in the Act only specifies the requirements and circumstances of providing such services and does not stipulate content rules that are only applicable to radio an television broadcasting in the traditional sense of the notion. In the absence of specific rules the content of the new superteletext service is governed by Act No 2 of 1986 on the Press.