Cool TV (Central Europe)
CoolTV (Central Europe) is a former
Hungarian television channel, which migrated to Romania after being threatened with close-down by magyar authorities. The channel was started in
2004 in Hungarian language, and in
2005 in
Romanian CoolTV Romania too.
CoolTV had a pioneering role presenting a gay series in Hungary,
Queer as Folk, including male strip-tease scenes, objected by some. Moreover, it went on to broadcast provocative,
iconoclast content, such as self-harm (
Jackass), weird lifestyle and a most controversial animated short series titled "Hungarikum" (meaning special Hungarian products, esp.
cuisine). Epic figures of Hungarian history (
Lajos Kossuth,
István Széchenyi,
György Dózsa) were depicted in it, performing
zoophile acts of sex on horses, tortured men and preteen schoolgirls, enraging the political right and the patriotic people. [
1]
When
Virgin Mary (traditionally considered heavenly queen of Hungary) was posed in serial sex with the papal
Swiss Guard in an episode of the Hungarikum series, even the
Vatican demanded state interference as required by the Concordatum treaty. In response the entire CoolTV station quickly packed up and fled to Romania, claiming a loophole in Hungarian law allows it to continue selling and distributing its programme to Hungarian cable TV companies, yet remain outside Magyar
jurisdiction. The Hungarian authorities have warned cable TV operators they may run into trouble with technical cable quality checks if they continue to carry the CoolTV-in-exile, but many did not comply.
*
Hungarian website*
Romanian website*
Gooya (UK) directory of world TV channels
