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Media watchers were caught off guard - somewhat - by the abrupt disappearance of Hungarian newspaper Nepszabadsag at the end of last week. Publisher Mediaworks said the newspaper’s revenue streams had collapsed and a “new concept,” possibly new owner, would be announced soon. The newspaper’s website nol.hu was also scrubbed of all content except for the publisher’s message.
While the timing may have surprised, Hungarian media reality under Prime Minister Viktor “illiberal democracy” Orban has been ground relentlessly to total State control. Known for being well-written, editorially critical and “left-wing” Nepszabadsag, through Mediaworks, is also owned by a foreign company, Austrian private equity firm Vienna Capital Partners. Virtually all critical news media in Hungary has received harsh treatment, foreign owners chased away, as PM Orban channels other well-known autocrats. (See more about media in Hungary here) Interestingly, nearly all Hungarian media outlets - including pro-government stalwarts - howled about the apparent closure.
The Nepszabadsag staff have continued reporting, largely their own story, on a Facebook page on which they indicated taking “legal action against the publisher due to ongoing legal violations.” Some of that is, to say the least, suggestive of a publisher under various pressures taking steps to protect investors and exit the country. Doors to the newspaper’s offices have been padlocked.
An interim chief executive appointed when the shut-down occurred (October 8) abruptly resigned two days later “for health reasons,” reported euobserver.com and others (October 11). Mediaworks recently acquired several regional Hungarian newspapers through a credit obligation to a bank controlled by politically attached individuals. That transaction, details reported by the Nepszabadsag team and published on that Facebook page, included a covenant giving the bank title to all associated names and brands.
There are a million stories out there. Many of them are written and shared. Not everybody is pleased.
Last week the Danish national intelligence security service (PET - Politiets Efterretningstjeneste) obtained a court injunction to halt distribution of a book based on interviews with its former chief. Seven Years With PET (Syv år for PET) was written by daily newspaper Politiken reporter Morten Skjoldager about the life and times of Jakob Scharf, who retired from the agency in 2013. The injunction also stopped daily newspaper Ekstra Bladet and national news-talk radio channel Radio24syv from quoting the book.
The book, according to publisher People’s Press, is something of a tell-all. The PET wanted to see it in advance of publication to check if “it actually contains such confidential information,” said the agency’s statement. "I think that PET should start by reading the book. When they read the book both PET and others will be reassured, "said Mr. Scharf, quoted by Politiken (October 8).
The journalistic tradition in Denmark is such that publishers and broadcasters did not take this lightly. “It is a scandal,” said Radio24syv news director Jørgen Ramskov, quoted by nordjyske.dk (October 8). “It is a dramatic step for PET to now need to determine what a free and independent journalists can deal with.” (See more about media in Denmark here)
“Does the book contain confidential information? Probably and hopefully.” wrote Politiken managing editor Christian Jensen in an editorial (October 9). “It is important to keep in mind that it is precisely the media's job to uncover essential - preferably confidential - information. It is possible that this personal information could be inconvenient for PET, but in an open democracy the (agency’s) interest should not alone trump the public interest.” Defying the spirit of the court order Politiken will be serializing the book.
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