The Hungarian national commercial broadcaster TV2 is considering moving its headquarters abroad due to the controversial advertising tax introduced earlier this year.
Quoted by HGV.hu and other local media, its management said: “The TV2 Group is currently considering several options as regards operation next year. We are looking into the possibility of broadcasting under the media supervision of another country.”
TV2 is Hungarian owned, having been acquired by its management in February this year.
It is also considered to be supportive of the Fidesz-led government, unlike its competitor RTL Klub, which has been hardest hit by the ad tax and believes the government is trying to force it out of the country.
Declining ad revenues and the ad tax have left TV2 with budgetary problems.
These would have to some degree been rectified had the broadcaster been allowed to levy fees from cable operators. However, it is prevented from doing so.
RTL Klub and TV2 are the leading broadcasters in Hungary. They were launched within a month of each other in late 1997.
