The Dictator's Playbook Overlooks Nothing
Michael Hedges April 1, 2020 - Follow on Twitter
When press freedom advocates consider the rise of right-wing populists in Europe they are chilled to the quick. Other authoritarian strongmen have, certainly, squeezed the life out of vibrant independent news media. The wannabes have rushed to catch up. While it is true that critical reporters are rarely jailed or tortured in Europe, other steps have been taken to make them go away.
 At first notice a small transaction by a television operator taking half stake in a medium-sized advertising saleshouse would seem less than momentous. But, in Hungary no shift in the media landscape escapes notice. On Monday Miklos Vaszily, TV2 Media chairman, acquired a 50% in IndaMedia Group, ad saleshouse for several online portals, reported business news portal portfolio.hu (March 30). One is independent news portal Index. IndaMedia also operates Hungary’s largest blogging network, blog.hu.
“I will support this highly successful media group as a strategic investor, in this case a more financial investor approach,” said Mr. Vaszily. In recent years he has been involved in Hungarian television, becoming chairman of TV2 Media in January 2019 after the untimely death of Andy Vajna, presumed, then, to have been owner of the television company. Previously, he was general manager of Echo TV, thereafter merged into the government-controlled foundation KESMA that principally owns much of Hungary’s broadcasting, and earlier was executive director of state broadcaster MTVA. All of those media outlets are ardently supportive editorially of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban and the right-wing populist Fidesz politically party.
Index, which has its own interesting story, is owned by a foundation established by a former owner to shield it from political interference. It has become a significant news source, often critical of PM Orban and his political party. That, in itself, can have consequences.
Asked for an appraisal by media portal media1.hu (March 31), recently installed Index chief editor Szabolcs Dull mostly shrugged. “It is not a change in the ownership structure (of Index),” he said. “Of course, there may be theories about what this means in practice, but most importantly: changes in another company are not influenced by the Index editorial board, and I have no control over it. So it's independent of the Index editorial board, and the vice versa should always be true.”
“Index will not close," said Mertek Media Monitor director Agnes Urban. "Pro-government media will probably overtake it. He (PM Orban) is taking advantage of the situation and grabs market share.”
Another “situation” in Hungary is the new omnibus Empowerment Act coming into effect, appropriately, April 1st. The parliament, comfortably controlled by the Fidesz party, approved the measure last week granting PM Orban near-unlimited power to rule by decree. It will certainly be added to the ever-expanding authoritarian playbook, a must read for dictators and wannabes. According to government statements the Empowerment Act was drafted in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Others view it as giving those in power the ability to punish journalists and publications “for presenting reality,” noted news portal hvg.hu (March 30).
The clause in question: “Any person who, in the public eye, claims or spreads a false fact or a fact in a manner which is capable of impeding or frustrating the effectiveness of the defense, shall be punishable by a criminal sentence of one year to five years.” A full understanding of George Orwell’s works is not necessary to comprehend the message.
“Freedom of the press in Hungary has always been primarily a matter of personal support and courage,” said Hungarian Journalists Association (MUOSZ) president Miklos Hargitai, to media portal media1.ht (March 30). “From now on, it will be more so. Our work will certainly be more difficult, since the threat posed by the law targets not only journalists, but also potential commentators and leakers, and they must also choose between the interests of power and the public interest. Lawmakers have now created a situation where these two interests are separated, which will never lead to good in a democracy.”
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