Ez a cikk magyarul is elérhető a Media1-en / This article is also available in Hungarian here.
According to the company, Rainbow TV will initially be available on the cable networks of EuroCable Hungary and through the AM Mikro MMDS microwave television system. Tamás Pataki, Managing Director of New Digital Media, told Media1 that he hopes all Hungarian television distributors will eventually add the channel to their lineups, ensuring broad access to diverse content for viewers across the country.
Pataki described the registration as an important milestone for equal opportunities and media pluralism in Hungary.
“The authority’s decision demonstrates that equal treatment and equal opportunities can also be realized within Hungary’s media landscape,” the company said in a statement.
The company also thanked the NMHH for what it described as a professional and supportive administrative process during the licensing procedure.
Focus on Culture, Entertainment and Dialogue
According to the broadcaster, Rainbow TV’s mission is to serve as a bridge between people from different backgrounds and communities. The channel says it intends to avoid daily political battles and instead focus on credible, entertaining and educational programming.
The planned schedule includes cultural and entertainment programs, arts and music shows, culinary content, talk shows, life-story interviews and programs exploring the history of the LGBTQI community. Adult content will be encrypted and accessible only to adult subscribers through legally required technical protections.
The broadcaster emphasized that it will comply with all applicable regulations, with particular attention to child protection rules, professional ethics and standards of decency.
Approval Granted by a Fidesz-Appointed Media Authority
The decision is notable because the members of Hungary’s Media Council, the NMHH’s governing body, were elected exclusively with votes from the ruling Fidesz party. The authority is headed by András Koltay, who was elected by Parliament in December 2021 for a nine-year term.
Koltay has repeatedly faced criticism from opposition figures, including Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar, who has called for his resignation over the authority’s conduct during the years of Fidesz rule.
Channel Faced Attacks Before Launch
Media1 first reported in April that a company had applied for a broadcasting license under the name Rainbow TV. Shortly afterward, several pro-Fidesz-media outlets, including HírTV and Origo, published critical articles about the planned channel and Pataki himself.
Pataki later stated that he and his company had been subjected to what he described as efforts to “bleed them dry” and drive them out of business.
One dispute involving a HírTV presenter and Pataki reportedly escalated into an incident that is currently being investigated by police. Pataki alleges that he was spat on and verbally abused because of his sexual orientation, while the presenter denies the allegations.
Licensing Process
According to the NMHH’s decision, New Digital Media submitted its application for the Rainbow TV service on April 17, 2026. The authority subsequently approved the registration, allowing the channel to begin operating as Hungary’s first LGBTQI-focused linear television broadcaster.
The company says its goal is to establish Rainbow TV as “a home for civilised dialogue and quality content consumption” within the Hungarian television market.
Ez a cikk magyarul is elérhető a Media1-en / This article is also available in Hungarian here.
A médiahatóság rábólintott a Szivárvány TV-re, indulhat Magyarország első LMBTQI-televíziója
Még több hír érhető el a Media1-en. Megtalálhat minket Facebookon is. Feliratkozhat napi hírlevelünkre is.
