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Week ending July 12, 2014

VPRT zur Entscheidung des BR-Rundfunkrates zu BR PULS - July 11, 2014
from VPRT

Beschluss blendet die offenen rechtlichen und wirtschaftlichen Fragen aus und geht von einer unrealistischen tatsächlichen DAB+-Nutzungssituation 2018 aus – Private werden rechtliche Schritte prüfen und fordern eine Evaluierung des Rundfunkratsbeschlusses im Vorfeld seiner Umsetzung

Klaus Schunk, Vorsitzender des Fachbereichs Radio und Audiodienste des VPRT, kommentierte die Veröffentlichung zu der gestrigen Entscheidung des Rundfunkrates des Bayerischen Rundfunks (BR), ab 2018 sein Jugendprogramm BR PULS über UKW zu verbreiten, wie folgt: „Trotz aller ernsthafter Bemühungen der Politik und von Vertretern des Rundfunkrates, die aktuellen Diskussionen zu reflektieren, hat es im Ergebnis eine Beschlusslage gegeben, die nicht zufriedenstellen kann und so für die privaten Radioveranstalter in Bayern enttäuschend ist. Der beschlossene Automatismus und die inkludierte DAB+-Kampagne lassen die offenen schwerwiegenden rechtlichen Fragen und die unstreitig gravierenden Auswirkungen für den bayerischen Hörfunkmarkt unbeachtet. Vor allem blendet er die absehbare weitere Entwicklung der DAB+-Übertagungstechnologie und die tatsächliche Nutzungssituation vollkommen aus. Es ist unrealistisch, dass wir bis 2018 eine der heutigen UKW- gleichwertige DAB+-Versorgung haben werden. Daran werden auch Marketingkampagnen des Bayerischen Rundfunks nichts ändern. Damit werden die weitreichenden wirtschaftlichen Folgen einer UKW Puls-Aufschaltung wie vom VPRT befürchtet auch 2018 ein realistisches Szenario bleiben. Die privaten Radiosender werden nun alle rechtlichen Möglichkeiten prüfen und im Übrigen unverändert für ihre Position werben. Ziel muss es in jedem Fall sein, im Vorfeld der Umsetzung des Beschlusses auf Basis der dann bestehenden DAB+-Verbreitung den Beschluss des Rundfunkrates noch einmal ergebnisoffen zu evaluieren. Alles andere wäre ein fauler Kompromiss.

RTL Group - New advertising tax in Hungary to impact RTL Group’s net profit in 2014 - July 7, 2014
from Oliver Fahlbusch/RTL Group

RTL Group, the leading European entertainment network, has conducted a first assessment of the financial impacts of the Advertisement Tax Act which was approved by the Hungarian parliament on 11 June 2014 and was amended on 4 July 2014. The law as amended is expected to become effective in the course of August 2014 and to require first payments by RTL Hungary later in August.

The new tax will be progressive, with the top 40 per cent levy imposed on annual advertising revenue of more than 20 billion Hungarian forints (about €65 million). RTL Hungary is currently the country’s only media company to be taxed with this top 40 per cent rate.

Following its preliminary assessment, based on the amended Act, RTL Group’s tax charge would increase by approximately €15 million on a full-year basis. In 2013, RTL Hungary generated an EBITA of €15 million on revenue of €100 million.

As part of the normal closing process, RTL Group will also perform an impairment test on the goodwill of RTL Hungary for the Group’s 2014 half-year results. Given the size of the new advertising tax, RTL Group expects to have to record an impairment in its 2014 interim financial statements. The amount of this impairment is currently being assessed, and the results of this impairment test will be disclosed on 21 August 2014, alongside RTL Group’s 2014 half-year results.

Joint statement by Anke Schäferkordt and Guillaume de Posch, Co-CEOs of RTL Group: “Operationally, RTL Group continues to perform strongly in 2014. However, our first assessment shows the severe impact of the new advertising tax in Hungary: it will force RTL Hungary in a structurally loss-making position and will also reduce RTL Group’s net profit in 2014. Since 1997, RTL Group has consistently built up a very valuable asset in Hungary, employing more than 350 people and investing in local entertainment and independent news reporting. And we have paid significant amounts of taxes in Hungary. We are determined to pursue all options to protect our asset against this confiscatory tax. Our announcement today sends an alarming signal for all international investors in Hungary. We thus call on the Hungarian government, again, to revise this counter-productive tax policy seemingly specifically aiming at RTL, as it undermines its operations and raises major concerns about the freedom of journalism in Hungary.”

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