Court: MTVA must disclose spending on cancelled TV series
A Metropolitan Court in Budapest ordered the Media Services and Asset Management Fund (MTVA) to disclose how much it paid for the failed TV series “Marslakók” (“Martians”) after the watchdog group Atlatszo.hu brought the case to court on the basis of the freedom-of-information law.
The MTVA, which had a budget of HUF 77 billion in 2012, manages the assets of Hungary’s public media properties. According to Atlatszo, the MTVA is using government funds with little transparency. The organization reports that it brought the case to find out how much money was spent on the TV series, which was produced by László Jáksó and was cancelled before beginning its first season. Unless the MTVA appeals the decision, they would be forced to reveal the requested information within 15 days, according to Atlaszo.hu.
The MTVA is managed by Hungary’s Media Council, which is responsible for approving the Fund’s annual plan and subsidy policy and for determining the rules governing how MTVA’s assets can be used, managed and accessed by the public media.
Sources:
http://atlatszo.hu/2012/11/20/elso-fokon-nyilvanos-mennyit-kaszalt-jakso-a-marslakokkal/