Duna is the national public television station in Hungary. The name is a play on the Hungarian word for the river Danube, and it is the national main channel of the state-owned MTVA. The channel’s first show aired on 15 March 2015.
80% of its funding comes from the government
The government finances two state-owned public television companies in Hungary. Duna is the Hungarian name for the Danube, and until July 2002, Duna TV was funded primarily by television licences paid by television owners. However, the government now funds the station 80% of the way, with the remaining 20% coming from television commercials. Consequently, it is unable to cover the costs of its production and programming, putting its future at risk.
In order to avoid media confusion and a threat to media pluralism, the government has created a new entity that facilitates financial management and content control of pro-government media. The move is problematic because it threatens the media market, and if it continues, will weaken competition and reduce diversity in the country. In addition, this structure exempts activities from the oversight of the Hungarian Competition Authority and the Media Council.
It broadcasts in Standard Definition
You’re probably wondering whether or not you should watch Duna TV in High Definition. Although its new high definition feed is not yet available on every pay-tv provider, it will be available to about 60% of the population when it launches. This channel is a good place to watch classic Hungarian television, and it may be an option for those who don’t have access to satellite or cable.
The Hungarian public television Duna TV is broadcasting in HD from Budapest. The channel broadcasts drama, music concerts, and other major live events from Hungary, and it also reaches Hungarian-speaking citizens across Europe. The company has been a Chyron user for years, and is installing two LX graphics playouts in its studio to deliver news bulletins around the clock. Ultimately, the new HD/SD switchable configuration will help the network grow into a full HD/SD production studio.
It has studios in Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, and Ukraine
The public broadcaster in Hungary is M1. During socialism, it dominated television ratings, capturing almost all of the national audience. But in 2011, M1 was trailing by a wide margin, with only 7.9% of the audience compared to the leading commercial channels. M2 was tenth overall, at 1.8%, and Duna TV was last at 0.8%.
In Hungary, Duna TV has studios in the country, and Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Serbia. The channel is broadcasting from Budapest. However, it also has regional studios in Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures, and Marosvasarhely, as well as in Slovakia, Serbia, and Ukraine. As the third public broadcaster in the country, Duna TV is dedicated to preserving the country’s audiovisual heritage. Much of its content is nostalgic and related to legends and mysteries of the region.
It has a high-definition feed
Although Duna TV is available in standard definition, it does have a high-definition feed. There is a catch, though. HD feeds are not available on all platforms. If you’re looking to watch a variety of programming, you may want to consider a subscription to one of these services.
Currently, Duna TV has an HD feed via DVB-T. It broadcasts several high-definition programs daily, and also offers several free channels. M1 and M2 have several HD broadcasts weekly. Additionally, there are more private HD channels in the Hungarian language from publishers of Hungarian channels.
