Search results : 146

The European Commission has decided to refer Hungary to the European Court of Justice for failing to abolish the provision of the Media Act preventing cable TV operators from providing cable TV services to more than one third of the Hungarian population. The national legislation at issue is obstructing further consolidation of the cable TV sector in Hungary, which would stimulate investment and the provision of better broadband services including “triple play” services (voice telephony, broadband internet access and cable TV distribution) by the operators concerned who are in competition with Magyar...

In mid-November the Prime Minister’s Office ( Miniszterelnöki Hivatal ) closed the public consultation of the Hungarian National Strategy for Digital Switchover. The strategy itself was published in early October (see IRIS 2006-10: 14) and stakeholders were invited to submit their written comments at the same time. A related public hearing was also organised as part of the consultation process. During the consultation period the Prime Minister’s Office received 61 written contributions comprising 476 pages in total. Almost all the relevant stakeholders expressed their views. The attention paid...

On 4 October 2006 the Hungarian National Strategy for Digital Switchover has been published and submitted to public consultation. The elaboration of the national strategy was the consequence of the decision of the Government on the introduction of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) of March2005 (see IRIS 2005-5: 16). The majority of the preparatory works has been carried out under theaegis of the Informatikai és Hírközlési Minisztérium (Ministry of Informatics and Telecommunications), that merged with the Gazdasági és Közlekedési Minisztérium (Ministry of Economics and Transport) after the generalelections...

In a decision issued on 28 August 2006 the Hungarian Competition Council ( Versenytanács ) authorised a merger involving Chellomedia Programming B.V. and Sport1 TV Műsorszolgáltató Zrt. The authorisation is subject to a “must offer” obligation. Chellomedia Programming B. V. is an undertaking linked to Liberty Global Inc. and its affiliates provide, inter alia, cable programme distribution services for approximately 30.5 million households in 19 countries. There are two affiliates of Liberty Global present in the Hungarian media market: UPC Magyarország Kft., the largest cable television company...

In January 2006, the Government submitted a draft act “on the Rules of Digital Broadcast Transmission”to the Parliament. The proposal aims at creating the necessary legal preconditions for the introduction of digital broadcasting services in Hungary, with special regard to digital terrestrial television (DTT) services. The background of the proposed bill is provided by Act No. C. of 2003. on Electronic Communications. The main provisions of the draft are as follows: - The definition of the legal status of the multiplex service providers; - A basic set of rules concerning interoperability of networks...