Surprise as Orbán Allies Acquire Hungary's Leading Newspaper
Reporters at Hungary's leading newspaper have voiced surprise after a media conglomerate seen as close to nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán's political faction, Fidesz, acquired the tabloid from its former Swiss owners.
Timing of Acquisition
The buyout, which coincides with Hungary prepares for important elections next year, is widely seen as another attempt to increase state control on the news outlets.
A Fidesz-friendly media company, Indamedia, stated on Friday it had purchased a portfolio of Hungarian titles, including Glamour magazine and Blikk, a influential tabloid whose online platform draws around three million online readers monthly.
Leadership Changes
Blikk's outgoing editor-in-chief, Ivan Zolt Nagy, said on Monday that he and another key leader were departing in "mutual agreement" with the acquiring company.
Their recruitment occurred seven months ago to restructure Blikk, "moving away from sensational stories but on compelling journalism" and to be "more audience-focused, addressing politics, economic matters, and culture," he said on Facebook.
Staff Reactions
Workers from Blikk expressed being stunned. "I came close to a medical emergency when I heard the announcement," stated one correspondent, who asked to stay unnamed. "In my view, this is professionally concerning."
Blikk has announced a new editor-in-chief, Baláz Kolossváry.
Media Landscape Concerns
Many journalists who have decided to stay admit being in a difficult position as there are few other outlets available where they could look for work.
Over the past 15 years, Orbán has been able to use a extensive pro-government press environment to boost his image and polls.
Election Timing
Whereas major media acquisitions have usually happened either following voting or during a quiet political period, the purchase of Ringier Hungary occurs under six months ahead of April's national vote.
Blikk was considered a key objective for Orbán and his political organization at a period when surveys are suggesting that they have a real challenger for the initial occasion in more than a decade.
Opposition Response
The opposition leader, Péter Magyar, whose Respect and Freedom party is running on pledges to eradicate deep-seated corruption, has been direct about Orbán's "information apparatus" and the damage he says it has caused to Hungary's democracy.
He has questioned the Ringier Hungary transaction, declaring it constitutes another attempt by Orbán to solidify his influence over Hungary's news publications.
Publication's Significance
Although Blikk is a daily publication, known for its gossip column and sensational captions, in the past few years it has also run numerous articles on suspected graft.
"This newspaper stands as by far the most popular newspaper in Hungary, a industry frontrunner," stated a communications specialist. "The web version has become surprisingly popular in recent times, becoming the fourth most visited website in Hungary. If partisan content is published by such extensively consumed and mainstream outlets, it will have an influence on the public."
Global Context
For exceeding a decade, Hungary has served as a blueprint for other "illiberal democracies" around the world.
Previous US leaders and their allies have long praised Orbán's Hungary even as it plunges in media freedom indexes.
In 2022, Orbán spoke to a meeting of US conservatives that the way to governance required "owning press organizations."
Past Media Control
In 2010, Orbán's regime passed a legislation that established state authority over the primary press oversight body and put the public broadcaster in the control of supporters.
Proprietorship Details
Indamedia is partially controlled by Mikló Vaszily, a government-supporting entrepreneur who is also CEO of a pro-government private channel.
In a statement, Indamedia's second proprietor and CEO, Gábor Ziegler, commented: "Via the purchase of Ringier Hungary, the company is gaining a successful press organization of comparable scale to Indamedia, with strong market positions and popular products that play a defining role in the Hungarian press environment."
Ringier said in a statement that its choice to divest was "motivated entirely by commercial planning elements and our emphasis on our core digital activities in Hungary."
A government spokesperson was sought for comment.
