🔗 Share this article Disbelief as Orbán Allies Purchase Hungary's Most-Read Newspaper Media professionals at the country's most-read publication have expressed shock after a media conglomerate seen as close to nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán's party, Fidesz, acquired the tabloid from its previous Swiss owners. Context of Acquisition The acquisition, which coincides with Hungary approaches crucial elections next year, is generally viewed as another attempt to expand government influence on the press. A government-aligned media company, Indamedia, stated on Friday it had purchased a collection of Hungarian titles, including Glamour magazine and Blikk, a influential tabloid whose news site draws around three million web users monthly. Management Changes Blikk's former chief editor, Ivan Zolt Nagy, said on Monday that he and a top executive were leaving in "mutual agreement" with the current proprietor. They were appointed seven months ago to restructure Blikk, "shifting from dramatic coverage but on compelling journalism" and to be "more audience-focused, covering political affairs, economics, and culture," he commented on social media. Staff Responses Staff at Blikk said they were stunned. "I came close to a cardiac episode when I heard the announcement," stated one correspondent, who asked to stay unidentified. "In my view, this is morally unacceptable." Blikk has introduced a new editor-in-chief, Baláz Kolossváry. Press Environment Concerns Several media professionals who have chosen to remain admit being in a complex circumstance as there are limited other media organizations left to which they could look for work. Throughout the previous 15 years, Orbán has been able to use a extensive pro-government media landscape to enhance his reputation and public opinion ratings. Political Context Although significant press acquisitions have usually happened either after elections or during a stable political time, the acquisition of Ringier Hungary occurs fewer than six months prior to April's parliamentary election. Blikk was considered a prime target for Orbán and his political organization at a period when opinion research are signalling that they have a serious opponent for the first time in over a decade. Political Rival Response The opposition leader, Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party is promoting promises to eradicate systemic graft, has been outspoken about Orbán's "propaganda factory" and the damage he claims it has done to Hungary's democratic system. He has questioned the Ringier Hungary deal, declaring it represents another effort by Orbán to strengthen his grip over Hungary's media outlets. Publication's Importance While Blikk is a tabloid, famous for its celebrity news and dramatic titles, in the recent years it has also featured many pieces on alleged corruption. "Blikk is by far the most widely circulated daily newspaper in Hungary, a industry frontrunner," stated a media analyst. "The web version has become unexpectedly successful in recent times, becoming the fourth most read digital platform in Hungary. If propaganda is published by such widely read and popular media, it will have an influence on the general population." Global Perspective For over a decade, Hungary has functioned as a blueprint for other "semi-democratic systems" internationally. Previous US leaders and their associates have long praised Orbán's Hungary even as it falls in press freedom rankings. In 2022, Orbán told a conference of US right-leaning politicians that the way to governance necessitated "controlling media outlets." Historical Media Regulation In 2010, Orbán's government passed a legislation that established official oversight over the main media regulator and placed the national media outlet in the management of allies. Ownership Details Indamedia is partially controlled by Mikló Vaszily, a government-supporting businessman who is also CEO of a pro-government private channel. In a statement, Indamedia's additional partner and CEO, Gábor Ziegler, said: "Via the purchase of Ringier Hungary, the organization is acquiring a profitable publication group of comparable scale to Indamedia, with established industry presence and recognized names that play a defining role in the Hungarian press environment." Ringier stated in a release that its choice to divest was "driven exclusively by strategic economic considerations and our concentration on our core digital activities in Hungary." A government spokesperson was contacted for statement.