Criticism of Hungary’s media controls keeps growing

Press freedom demonstration on Kossuth Square near the Parliament in Budapest, 27 January 2012
Photo credit: habeebee via Flickr (some rights reserved)

Sándor Orbán, programme director of the South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM), discusses in a recent blog on the Committee to Protect Journalists website the press freedom situation in Hungary, as part of a broader trend of politically-driven clamp downs on journalists and independent media in the region.

“Klubrádió solely wants to provide news and present different opinions and never meant to play any emblematic role. But, because of the decision of the Media Authority, it has became the symbol of free speech in Hungary,” stated the broadcaster’s CEO, András Arató, on Sunday when addressing thousands of demonstrators who gathered in central Budapest to express their support for the station. Once this popular talk radio broadcaster loses its frequency license (which was reallocated to a previously unknown media group that tendered a higher price) in a matter of weeks, pro-government dominance will be nearly complete in terms of broadcast news programs in the country.

Since the conservative Hungarian Civic Union, or Fidesz, came to power with a super-majority in parliament in 2010, media freedom in the country has gradually deteriorated. As a delegation of 12 international free speech and media development NGOs concluded in Budapest in November, the confluence of a restrictive regulatory environment, deteriorating economic conditions, technological change, and a lack of solidarity among professionals created a perfect storm and put independent media in danger. The participants of the mission, which was organized by the South East European Network for Professionalization of Media, also emphasized that the broad, uncertain, and inconsistent provisions of the new Hungarian laws created a chilling effect and strengthened self-censorship among journalists. (The key findings of the mission can be found here, and excerpts from the delegation’s press conference can be watched here.)

Continue reading the article on the CPJ blog

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Sándor Orbán is programme director at the Budapest-based South East European Network for Professionalization of Media, an association of 15 regional media organisations, which promotes excellence in journalism through training, information exchange, media policy research, and advocacy.

The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organisation founded in 1981. CPJ promotes press freedom worldwide by “defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal.”

Posted on February 1, 2012 by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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