Mertek Media Monitor

The Mertek Media Monitor is a watchdog organisation and think tank. Founded in 2011, Mertek is a committed believer in European and international human rights standards and constitutional democracy. It has undertaken to review the implementation and impact of the Hungarian media laws adopted in 2010 and the resultant media policy measures; to contribute to the Hungarian and European discourse on freedom of expression and press freedom through its professionally grounded analyses and position papers; to promote the transparency of media policy decisions; and to ultimately exert pressure on media policy and regulatory decision-makers. Based on legal, journalistic, sociological and economic expertise, Mertek evaluates media policy measures and lays out its own policy proposals. Mertek’s staff began their civil engagement equipped with substantial professional expertise acquired in academia, public administration and/or journalism.

Mertek's long-term objective is to use its expertise gathered in the context of the Hungarian media system and media policies in the process of becoming an effective participant in the activities of the international professional and civil community, to contribute to efforts which seek to scale back media policy practices that jeopardise press freedom, and to present professionally grounded models for media policy.