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Fidesz dominates the media landscape

Monday, August 6th, 2018

After the ‘recapture’ of HírTV’ by the government side, left-wing commentators paint a bleak picture of the Hungarian media landscape, while a pro-government author lays the blame at the door of the tycoon who lured conservative journalists into his anti-Orbán offensive and then left them in the lurch. READ MORE

HírTV back in the government fold

Friday, August 3rd, 2018

Left-wing commentators see the takeover of Hungary’s first TV news channel as a sign of mounting authoritarianism, while pro-government newspapers declare that justice has been done. READ MORE

Simicska sells his businesses

Monday, July 9th, 2018

A left-wing pundit describes the former Fidesz party treasurer as an emblematic figure of Hungary’s recent past. He suspects that his media empire may end up in pro-government hands. READ MORE

Heti Válasz shuts down

Friday, June 8th, 2018

The highest circulation conservative weekly owned by the media mogul Lajos Simicska closes down after announcing insolvency.  The editor ascribes the failure of his weekly to the hostile political environment. READ MORE

Magyar Nemzet shuts down

Thursday, April 12th, 2018

As media tycoon Lajos Simicska withdraws from several important outlets, commentators complain that a piece of Hungarian history is disappearing with the daily Magyar Nemzet – unless a political investor manages to save it. READ MORE

Simicska’s ’atom bomb’ attack is off?

Friday, March 30th, 2018

A liberal commentator suggests that widespread speculation about Lajos Simicska holding a decisive trump card against the government that he would put on the table to cause devastating damage to PM Orbán before the election, was a case of wishful thinking. READ MORE

Jobbik as the central theme of year-end politics

Monday, December 18th, 2017

As the Jobbik party stands accused of illicit campaign financing, columnists on Left and Right ponder the impact of its billboard-financing controversy on party politics and electoral chances. READ MORE

Simicska’s war continues

Friday, October 6th, 2017

As the media mogul Lajos Simicska continues his war on Prime Minister Orbán, a pro-government commentator accuses the Left of applying double standards. A left-wing columnist wonders whether Mr Simicska has information on secret Fidesz deals.  READ MORE

Poster bill is back in parliament

Wednesday, June 21st, 2017

As the government tries to push its ban on political posters outside electoral campaigns through Parliament, a left-wing commentator claims that if successful, this would deprive   opposition parties of one of their few remaining tools to reach a wider public. READ MORE

Campaign ad law amendments rejected by Parliament

Friday, June 16th, 2017

A pro-government commentator accuses opposition parties of corruption after opposition MPs rejected the government’s amendments to the political campaign law. Magyar Nemzet’s columnist, on the other hand, thinks that the government wants to silence the opposition. READ MORE