In 2006 the broadcasting of the most exciting sport events resulted in great viewing figures for the Hungarian Public Television, which will also broadcast the two most viewed events in 2008, namely the Olympic games and the European Football Championship.

The major live broadcasting events of the Hungarian Television started with the Lyon Figure Skating and Ice Dance European Championship in January 2006. It was followed by the broadcasts of the 20th Winter Olympic Games.

The MTV, which is the official television company and a Golden Level Partner of the Hungarian Olympic Team, was broadcasting live with over a 100 hours mainly on m1 channel. Figure skating and ice hockey were in the lead, but we could also be proud of our scoring speed skaters. The viewers could watch for longer the televising of the Alpine ski competitions, biathlon and bobsled, which are becoming more and more popular in Hungary, and where the Hungarians unexpectedly acquired Olympic quotes.

The MotoGp season started in March. Every race of the MotoGp was broadcasted live on MTV with the commentator Dániel Mezei and Ádám Haraszti on Sunday mornings. MTV has been broadcasting for 2 years the Men’s’ and Women’s’ Handball Champions League on Saturday afternoons. Those who stayed with MTV never missed the Water polo World cup beginning of the summer, which was broadcasted live by the leader public television from the Hajós Alfréd National Sport Swimming Pool in Margaret Island.

This was followed by the Pentathlon European Championship, and the best ever European Swimming Championship broadcast from Budakalász, according to the European Swimming Association. The two channels of MTV have broadcasted over 70 hours of the Swimming EC between 26th July and 6th August.

On the last days of the EC we were providing daily 7 live broadcasts and summaries. The most viewed five broadcasts were each viewed by an average of half million people on the m1 channel. Even more viewed the opening ceremony: 8.2 percent of the total population of Hungary equalling to 767.553 viewers, which means a 22.7 percent viewing ratio.

We hardly got out of the swimming pool, when the queen of sports arrived. We were also broadcasting live from the Athletics European Championship at Göteborg in August.

Also in August nearly the whole country was cheering for our national team in the Flatwater Racing World Championship at Szeged through the broadcasts of MTV. The pictures were broadcasted from perspectives, which  has never been seen before. The broadcast was also extraordinary because the local atmosphere was reflected better than ever by the new camera positions. We could also follow the Handball European Championship on public television, and also the best games of the national handball, waterpolo and basketball championships.

We could watch  the best matches of the Footbal Champions League on MTV. The good thing was the public television involved the viewers and according to their votes the most voted matches were broadcasted. In autumn the Papp László Budapest Sport Arena is hosting the TeleSport-Spar FittArena  fitness-aerobics event, which is nationally and internationally outstanding and it’s bigger than ever.

A new sport program has been introduced to the Sport Editorial broadcasts. A new Olympics program has been launched on m1 channel, called ’Road to Beijging’ and it will be broadcasted up to August 2008. This production offers an exctiting relaxation for the sport fans, but also for all those who are interested in the everyday life of sportsmen, women and professionals prepearing for the Olympic Games.

The program goes behind the scenes and shows how our sportsmen and women are prepearing for the Olympics. The guide, who shows us around every second Saturday is a real insider, Ági Kovács Olympic Champion.

The outstanding results were recognized by two awards. The leader of  MTV’s Sport Editorial Office, Csaba Schulek received a ’Nívó Prize’ from the Hungarian Olympic Committee in March, and at the end of the year it was announced that the leisure time sports program called ’Stiff  Muscle’ was awarded a ’Heracles Journalist Prize for the New Generation ’.

MTV is is looking forward to 2008. Then the world’s second most viewed event, the European Football Championship will be broadcasted again on the MTV as  the public televison has acquired the rights of the live broadcast. 2008 is also the year of the Olympic Games and the viewers and staff of MTV will only have a few weeks break between the two.