Orban's allies take control of Hungary's most popular publication before elections - Media

In Hungary, journalists are outraged that the pro-government media group Indamedia has acquired the portfolio of assets of Ringier Hungary, including the country's most popular tabloid, Blikk. This event occurred a few months before the elections, where Viktor Orbán's party faces serious competition, UNN reports with reference to The Guardian.

Details

This purchase, which comes as Hungary prepares for crucial elections next year in which Orbán faces an unprecedented challenge from the opposition, is widely seen as another attempt to strengthen the government's influence over the media.

The pro-Orbán media group Indamedia announced on Friday that it had bought the popular tabloid Blikk from Ringier Hungary, whose news website reaches about three million online readers every month.

The tabloid's editor-in-chief, Ivan Zsolt Nagy, who reaches about three million online readers every month, said on Monday that he and another senior manager were leaving by "mutual agreement" with the new owner.

"They were hired seven months ago to reposition Blikk, focusing not on sensations, but on interesting stories and more on the public, covering politics, economics and culture," Nagy wrote on Facebook.

Blikk employees expressed their shock and outrage at this.

"I almost had a heart attack when I heard this announcement. For me, it's morally unacceptable," said one reporter who asked to remain anonymous.

Blikk announced the appointment of a new editor-in-chief, Balázs Kolosvári.

Many journalists who chose to stay say they are in a difficult position, as there are few other publications they could turn to. Over the past 15 years, Orbán has been able to use the extensive pro-government media landscape to improve his image and boost his poll ratings.

While major media transactions typically occurred either after elections or during a quiet political period, the acquisition of Ringier Hungary took place less than six months before the general election in April. Blikk was considered a prime target for Orbán and his party at a time when polls signal that they have a real challenger for the first time in more than a decade.

Addition

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is preparing for an important meeting with Donald Trump in Washington on November 7. The main topic of negotiations is energy, in particular Budapest's dependence on Russian resources and the possibility of expanding cooperation with the United States in the nuclear sphere.