No more opposition voice in the air: Klubradio loses appeal to renew licence
A Budapest court has rejected an appeal by private broadcaster Klubradio against a decision by Hungary’s media authority not to renew its licence.
The Budapest Municipal Court said in a statement on Tuesday that under the relevant law, the Media Council of the National Media and Communications Authority (NMHH) had no room to consider Klubradio’s appeal due to “repeated offences” committed by the broadcaster.
Last September, the NMHH announced that it would call another tender for the 92.9 MHz frequency in Budapest, as it was not renewing Klubradio’s licence due to its violations of Hungary’s media law.
The licence of the station popular with opposition listeners expires on Feb. 14.
The court noted that the Media Council’s decision not to renew Klubradio’s licence had been based on its findings of the broadcaster’s offences which Klubradio had not challenged.
Because the ruling on Klubradio’s repeated offences had been final, neither the Media Council, nor the court could deliberate its appeal, the statement said.
The NMHH said in September that during its seven years on the air on the 92.9 MHz frequency, Klubradio had violated the media law on multiple occasions.
It said the broadcaster had accepted the rulings on its offences and had paid the fines that had been levied on it.
The authority later said that it had not “stripped” Klubradio of the 92.9 MHz frequency, pointing out that frequencies are allocated to radio stations through tenders.
In October, the NMHH said Klubradio had every chance of success in its bid for the 92.9 MHz frequency, arguing that criteria for a successful bid include experience in providing a media service. Klubradio, it said, had a built-in advantage, having already broadcast on that frequency.
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Source: MTI
6 Comments
It’s time to re-introduc Voice of America, Radio Free Europe or start a Radio Free Hungary. There is internet, Satalites and more!
The radio station was aware of the requirements and deadlines, yet it ignored them Breaking rules and regulation should be equally applied. If this radio station should have observed the rules, it would be on air.
In a liberal and democratic country this would be big news. Hungary is neither liberal nor democratic, therefore it is small news.
I would just like to point out that I see lots of opposition news in Hungary. In fact, it is more widespread and accessible than opposition news in USA, UK, Canada and Germany!
A few examples of Journalists , Tommy Robinson in UK, Ezra Levant in Canada and Lou Dobbs in USA.
A few websites and youtube channels taken down for daring to question the leftish narrative, Info wars, Stefan Molyeneux, and many others restricted in many ways.
Foreign media such as BBC , Euronews, the Soros empire and the USA state Dept can all be relied upon to help the Hungarian opposition news stories!
Just saying!
To all you cry baby “left wingers”, ha ha ha. Too bad Hungary has seen the light when it comes to leftest and their agenda to re-instating communism to Hungary. Ain’t happening, so get over it. Orban is the MAN and realized you have to deal with this crap now, or deal with it later. The left in the USA has become intolerant of any voices that oppose them, but they are the first to bitch and cry if they are questioned in any form. The left is the real repressive movement and must be stopped at all cost. So good for Hungary seeing the light and stopping this nonsense in its tracks. Once again, ha ha ha.
Bruce – do you mean Tommy Robinson, the white supremacist thug? Robinson’s criminal record includes convictions for violence, financial and immigration frauds, drug possession and public order offences.