28-05-2009

Fee reduction petition fails

By Gyorgy Karpati
    The Hungarian Board of the National Radio and Television Commission (ORTT, www.ortt.hu) rejected a final petition from the two leading Hungarian commercial TV channels seeking a reduction in their annual concession fees.

    RTL Klub (www.rtlklub.hu) and TV2 (www.tv2.hu), which had requested the fee reduction, will have to pay the original amount by May 30.

    Though the two commercial TV channel's income decreased by some 15% in the first three month of 2009, in 2008 both reached record incomes: €125 million for RTL Klub and €93.4 million for TV2). The two TV channels each have to pay an estimated €6.3-6.6 million concession fee under their contracts.

    At the May 28 session of the National Radio and Television Commission (ORTT, www.ortt.hu) the Board discussed and modified the two contracts to harmonize them to the EU rules but did not discuss the petitions.

    Previously the two TV channels were trying to cut the amount in half, or at least to reduce the fee, because of the economic crisis.