Hungarian Media Monitor

Cartoon wars: Hungary and Germany trade jabs

April 5, 2013
Hungarian Media Monitor
Blog

A battle of words and wit between German TV and Hungarian officials and journalists continued this week over recent cartoons aired on German state TV calling the Hungarian Government undemocratic and saying it controls the media.

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Ringier ups capital of Hungary’s top left-wing daily

March 29, 2013
Hungarian Media Monitor
Blog

Swiss multinational Ringier is giving a capital boost of HUF 750 million (roughly EUR 2.5 million) to the left-wing newspaper Népszabadság, Hungary’s top news daily, which is currently operating at a loss, HVG reports. Ringier’s decision comes after its failed deal to sell its majority shares of Népszabadság to the Szabad Sajtó Foundation, which is run by the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP). According to HVG, Ringier was trying to sell its shares of the paper so the Media Council would approve its merger with German media conglomerate Axel Springer. The Media Council blocked the merger last year, and according to HVG, it was rumored that the the Council informally agreed to clear the merger if Ringier sold its holdings of Népszabadság.

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The EC asks for public input on possible new EU-wide media regulations

March 24, 2013
Hungarian Media Monitor
Blog

The European Commission has opened public consultations for citizens and groups to comment on whether to adopt new EU-wide media  regulations, including a measure addressing the independence of media regulatory bodies. The announcement comes as policy makers and civil society groups call for stronger EU-wide regulations on media independence and pluralism in order to ensure that common democratic standards are being met at the national and pan-EU levels.

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Media Council put in charge of selecting winner of state's top journalism award

March 22, 2013
Hungarian Media Monitor
Blog
In order to avoid repeating mistakes made during this year's nomination for the recipient of the state’s top journalism prize, the Media Council will be responsible for selecting the winner of the Táncsics Prize in the future, according to a March 21 statement by Human Resources Minister Zoltán Balog. The announcement followed a week of controversy and protest over Balog’s March 14 decision to award the state's top journalism prize to far-right TV presenter Ferenc Szaniszló. Under mounting domestic and international criticism, Balog asked the journalist to return the prize.

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Kroes calls for more changes to Hungary’s media laws

March 22, 2013
Hungarian Media Monitor
Blog

Issues of media freedom in Hungary "are not yet solved," said European Commissioner Neelie Kroes last week at a seminar on media freedom and pluralism in Dublin, adding that "only a fraction of the Council of Europe recommendations have been implemented." The Council of Europe’s May 2012 assessment identified a wide range of provisions in the Hungarian media laws that are inconsistent with Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Council of Europe recommendations. Hungarian lawmakers plan to amend several of these provisions following consultations with the Council of Europe this January. A group of prominent NGOs have expressed their dissatisfaction with the limited scope of these amendments and have asked the Council of Europe to continue negotiating with Hungarian officials in order to address the full range of the Council’s own recommendations.

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