A Hungarian-American liberal commentator lambasts the new US Ambassador to Budapest for ignoring what he sees as the decline of democratic norms in Hungary. His pro-government counterpart welcomes Mr Cornstein’s words. READ MORE
A conservative commentator suggests that mainstream parties play into the hands of extremist parties by ignoring people’s fears of immigration, and by dismissing critics of immigration as neo-Nazis. READ MORE
A left-wing sociologist criticises those liberal intellectuals who are urging the United States to relaunch broadcasts by Radio Free Europe in Hungarian. He calls their idea an expression of political parochialism. READ MORE
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
A left-wing analyst believes the government side was led by an emotional need to recapture HírTV from its critics, while a pro-government commentator excoriates the left-liberal demonstrators who protested against the takeover. READ MORE
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
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
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
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
A pro-government commentator speculates that in case of a Fidesz defeat in the election, the opposition would eliminate all critical media outlets. A conservative critic of the government thinks that Fidesz overestimates the importance of the media. READ MORE