Hungarian Journalists Stage Hunger Strike to Protest Govt. Meddling in Public Media

The hunger strike comes in the wake of the government’s increasing influence on the content of the nation’s state-owned TV channel, Magyar Televízió (MTV). Several recent scandals have underscored the problem, such as a December 3 case in which the face of former chief judge Zoltan Lomnici—a prominent critic of current prime minister Viktor Orban’s right-wing government—was pixilated on public news. That was the “final straw,” Navarro says, that brought about the hunger strike. The protest comes at a time when freedom of press watchdogs are expressing alarm over the condition of Hungary’s media. Last January, a law was enacted that stipulates “balanced coverage” as a legal mandate of news reporting. As to what that means, no one has a solid answer, but journalists are nervous over the state having power to enforce particular media content. A November report by Freedom House, a freedom of speech advocacy organization, claims that “Hungary’s new model of media regulation is creating a chilling effect and undermining freedom of expression.” The report proceeds to highlight some of journalists’ core concerns: the Hungarian government can now order the disclosure of sources; there is little to no possibility for judicial review of decisions made by the media council or the government; and the government’s licensing practices threaten to undermine pluralism in news coverage. If Navarro and his fellow activists have their way, these issues will enter public debate, paving the way for a re-liberalization of Hungary’s news media.