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ftm Radio Page - week ending January 14, 2022

New radio channels, more attention or not
same thin thread

The bigger parts of the media sphere are notoriously inflexible. Print and television are cumbersome and expensive. Everything attached to and through the internet - including that metaverse - is complicated. For those seeking quick media solutions, including the dubious, solutions are not simple.

Many changes have recently taken place in Hungary’s media sphere, radio broadcasting in particular, noted Hungarian media news portal Media1 HU (January 14), and more are expected. A sports radio channel, a first in Hungary, will make its appearance next week (January 17). As Sportradio it received a Budapest FM frequency, complimented online through the Nemzeti (National) Sport website. Nemzeti Sport is a daily sports newspaper owned, like so many Hungarian media outlets, by the government-friendly media holding company KESMA. (See more about media in Hungary here)

One of the reported owners of Sportradio is György Szöllösi, chief editor of Nemzeti Sport and considered close to Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban. Content for Sportradio will be provided by Mediaworks, also a government-friendly media holding company. Mr. Szöllösi is also president of the Hungarian Sports Journalists Association, which he founded.

Already on the air in Budapest is A Rock, owned by LBK Rock Kft. The aforementioned Sportradio was first licensed to LBK Sport Kft, which changed its name to Online Sportmedia Kft. On paper, at least, LBK Rock Kft is owned by Balázs Biró, a media lawyer with several clients aligned with the Fidesz political party of Mr. Orban. Knowledge of Hungarian media rules paid off as the Media Council allocated the Budapest FM frequency only to “rock-themed radio.”

Similar to Sportradio, programming for A Rock is outsourced, so far all music. That task is provided by Radio Factory Kft, which coincidentally is colocated with Radio 1, programming also contracted to Radio Factory Kft. Radio 1 and several other Hungarian radio stations are believed owned by Lörinc Mészaros, acquired after the 2016 passing of media investor Andy Vajna. Mr. Mészaros is Hungary’s richest person. Other than that gravity-defying rise he was once mayor of Felcsut, coincidentally PM Orban’s hometown. A Rock 103.9 FM went on-the-air last October without fanfare. Another coincidence, Online Sportmedia Kft is registered in Felcsut.

Insulting journalists has consequences, sometimes
"hatred with impunity"

Election campaigns are, to quote a famous title, a separate reality. Candidates don’t simply address the media, they take swings. Sometimes the media swings back. It’s quite a show.

French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon received a sentence from the Paris Criminal Court this week for “public insults” and “defamation” directed at reporters for public radio channel France Info. He had referred to the reporters as “morons” after an investigative feature on his 2017 presidential campaign. The Court condemned M Mélenchon to pay damages of €3,000 but suspended a fine. His lawyers indicated they would appeal, reported French magazine Marianne (January 11). (See more about media in France here)

The trial on these charges, brought by Radio France, took place last November. It featured a recording of M Mélenchon ranting about FranceInfo investigation. "FranceInfo journalists are liars, are cheaters," he was heard saying. “They look like what they are, that is to say, morons. Trash them wherever you can.” That brought Radio France lawyers to the bar claiming the statement contributed to “distrust” in the media.

"This is a very satisfying decision not only for Radio France, but for all journalists," said lawyer Sabrina Goldman after the decision. “It recognizes that Jean-Luc Mélenchon could not call for hatred with impunity and has enshrined the right to freedom of information.” (See more about elections and media here)

The first round of voting in the French presidential elections will be held April 10. If no majority candidate appears, a second round will take place two weeks later. To date, M Mélenchon is one of 18 candidates.

Shifting music formats is easy, platforms mean business
"at least not yet"

The holidays are now in the past tense and the Christmas radio channel in Stockholm, Sweden is gone. On New Year’s Day NENT Group switched the Christmas music to Lugna Favoriter, a soft adult contemporary music (light pop oldies) channel once quite popular.

In an FM frequency shuffle three and a half years ago NENT Group had to relinquish a Stockholm frequency, one of which was used by Lugna Favoriter. The broadcaster switched the other Stockholm FM frequency to its Lugna Klassiker format, more oldies. Lugna Favoriter was then relegated to DAB+. The format remains on FM for Gothenburg. (See more about media in Sweden here)

Swedish radio has long been quite competitive, NENT Group and Bauer Media battling over the commercial ground. Both, on aggregate, follow Swedish public broadcaster (SR). Bauer Media is set to launch Radio Disney, for a branding advantage, on an FM frequency once used by Lugna Klassiker, noted Radionytt NO (January 6). Obviously, much of this competitive zeal is taking place on platforms. A early fan of the DAB+ platform, Bauer Media is rushing into podcasting. (See more about podcasts and podcasting here)

NENT Group questions the podcasting business model, said Sweden radio manager Christer Modig to media news portal Breakit (January 3). The problem, he said, is trying to compete in that realm with SR. "If we manage to get 3 to 4 podcasts on among the top 40, it would be a success, but hardly something to build a profitable business on, at least not yet.”

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