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ftm Radio Page - week ending May 25, 2018

National radio license awarded to familiar name
lawsuit pending

The dormant Class FM national radio license in Hungary has been assigned to Hold Reklám, reported news portal 24.hu (May 25). The Media Council of regulator NMHH approved the assignment to the sole “valid” applicant. The national radio license was advertised last September.

Hold Reklám will use the POP FM or POP Radio name, both have been service-marked, on 18 FM frequencies. The company will have the new national channel on the air within 120 days and forfeit two local radio channels. Andy Vajna, the Hungarian Film Commissioner and firm supporter of president Viktor Orban, is presumed to control the company. He already controls the pro-government Radio 1 national radio network. (See more about media in Hungary here)

Advenio Zrt had applied for the national radio license but its application was dismissed as “erroneous.” They had been the licensee of Class FM, the renewal for which the NMHH did not approve in 2016. There’s a lawsuit pending. The Class FM brand was picked up by Slager Radio Zrt and operates as an online radio station.

New media law should offer more protections, say broadcasters
"restore a fair balance"

Independent radio operators in France want better access to everything. In a letter to Culture Minister Françoise Nyssen the Union of Independant Radio (Syndicat des Radios Indépendantes - Sirti) outlined about two dozen demands, reported Les Echos (May 24), “to restore a fair balance.” Sirti represents 169 independent radio stations.

The wish-list includes digital protection - tax credit for DAB+ investment, free FM/DAB smartphone chips and guarantees for broadcast radio in automobiles. The group asked for legal protection for the name “radio” to thwart online providers like Apple, which, also, should be subject to French content quotas. The French radio licensing structure should be changed, they asked, to allow more independent (Category B) radio stations. The French broadcast music quota rules - “which have become obsolete” - should be “reformed.” (See more about media in France here)

Many of Sirti’s demands are directed at public broadcaster Radio France. They want the public broadcaster “measured” on “quality” and not “audience” and format changes on Radio France channels “limited.” And, too, they want commercial advertising off the Radio France airwaves and privately owned broadcasters represented on public radio boards.

“We believe in radio more than ever,” said Sirti president Alain Liberty at the Paris presentation. The list of demands will be presented to the French parliament at the end of May as it prepares a major revision in audio-visual law.

Municipal broadcasters liked the old ways much better
seeking license exemptions

Radio broadcasting in Greece has been rather free-wheeling. In recent years - and through several governments - there have been attempts at regulation, reining in pirates and general conformity to order. Regulatory authorities have even set in motion digital transition.

Municipal broadcasters are a separate class or, said otherwise, in a class by themselves. These are commercial stations owned by city governments, not related to the national channels of public broadcaster ERT. Some are quite well-known, like Athens 9.84. The National Council for Radio and Television (ESR) recognizes municipal broadcasters as nearly the same as privately-owned local broadcasters. ERT is principally funded by a household license fee while municipal radio stations are sustained through municipal service taxes. (See more about media in Greece here)

The Union of Greek Municipal Broadcasters, representing 17 radio and two TV stations, is lobbying for certain exemptions to current license requirements, reported typologies.gr (May 24). Outlined at a recent meeting, the group wants designation as “public interest” broadcasters, elimination of license renewal requirements and the freedom to shift employees from one station to another. They also want exemption from digital transition.

Municipal radio broadcasters “cannot be excluded from the law,” said Digital Policy Minister Nikos Pappas earlier this year as the “shock and awe” TV licensing transition scheme sent broadcasters scrambling.

Radio Page week ending May 18, 2018
radio in the UK, RAJAR, radio audience, BBC Radio, commercial radio, digital transitions, radio in Hungary, audience measurement, NMHH, Slager FM, Magyar Katolikus Radio

Radio Page week ending May 11, 2018
media in the US, podcasting, public radio, Pocket Casts, NPR, WNYC, WBEZ, This American Llfe, mobile media

Radio Page week ending May 4, 2018
radio in France, Lagardere, Europe 1, RFM, Virgin Radio, radio in the Netherlands, radio audience, Radio 538, Sky Radio, Talpa Radio, Radio 10, NPO, Radio 1, Radio 3, Q-music

Radio Page week ending April 27, 2018
radio in France, radio audience, Paris radio, Mediametrie, RTL, France Inter, Europe 1, FIP, Oui FM, radio in Ukraine, wired radio broadcasting, Ukrtelecom, NRCU

Radio Page week ending April 20, 2018
radio in Poland, Radio Zet, Antyradia, Meloradia, Chilizet, radio in Romania, Europe FM, Virgin Radio, Lagardere Active, podcast, podcasting, streaming media, radio in the UK, BBC, radio in France, Radio France, radio in Germany, Radio Hamburg

Radio Page week ending April 13, 2018
radio in Germany, FM transmission, Media Broadcast

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