Hungarian Media Monitor

Human Rights Watch: Hungarian media face political pressure

May 16, 2013
Hungarian Media Monitor
Blog

Independent media outlets in Hungary practice self-censorship as a result of unclear regulations and declines in public and private advertising revenue, according to a new report published by Human Rights Watch.

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Atlatszo: "The coming dark age of democratic governance in Hungary"

May 8, 2013
Hungarian Media Monitor
Blog
"A recent amendment to the law on freedom of information all but ensures that the Government operates in complete darkness," says pro-transparency investigative reporting NGO, Atlatszo.

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Study: Government gives key ad revenue to Hungary's right-wing media

May 8, 2013
Hungarian Media Monitor
Blog

State advertising revenue  of right wing media was more than two times higher in 2012 than in 2010. The state's spending on advertising in  Hungary's print media is directed to a small group of government institutions and firms. The changes in the advertisement incomes of left and right wing leaning printed media follows closely the change's of governments. The advertising incomes of the leftist printed media had dramatically been decreasing from 2008, so that this sum had been reduced to less than one third of 2003 by 2012.

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Hungarian Parliament votes to curb freedom-of-information rights

May 2, 2013
Blog
Hungarian Media Monitor

In a fast-tracked procedure on Tuesday, the Hungarian Parliament modified a freedom-of-information law to put limits on access to public information, stirring rebukes from Hungarian civil society groups, journalists and opposition lawmakers. The amendment was passed without public consultation in an “exceptional and urgent” Parliamentary session held two days after the draft was first submitted by Fidesz MPs. The measure comes as the government faces mounting pressure from a group of media outlets and NGOs to disclose the criteria it used to allocate tobacco sales licenses.

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Court awards Klubrádió 92.9 MHz frequency

April 28, 2013
Hungarian Media Monitor
Blog
An appeals court last week upheld a lower court ruling that awarded Klubrádió the 92.9 MHz frequency, which the station has been fighting for broadcasts

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