Hungary's biggest station loses frequencies

Hungary's market-leading radio station Sláger Rádio has lost its bid to renew its license. Its competitor Danubius Radio was also rejected, Media Network reports.

The government agency ORTT instead chose to give the two seven-year licenses to the FM1 consortium and to Advenio Zrt. The decision has prompted protest not only from the losing applicants, but also from the non-voting president of the ORTT board.

On its website, Sláger Rádio says that the company will sue ORTT, calling the agency's move a political decision and a blow to Hungary's democracy and press freeedom.

Sláger Rádio was launched in 1998 by US radio group Emmis and is the number one station in the country.