Hungary’s Orban exempts pro-government media group from scrutiny
Critics say the prime minister is presiding over a gradual disappearance of independent media
Budapest — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has exempted a mammoth pro-government media group from scrutiny by the national competition watchdog, according to a decree published on Wednesday. Critics say the rightwing nationalist leader is presiding over a gradual disappearance of independent media in the former communist satellite. Dozens of newspapers and broadcasters critical of Orban have changed hands in recent years, resulting in less public dissent. The Central European Press and Media Foundation conglomerate, created in 2017 by Orban loyalists, runs an immense media portfolio received from several pro-government businessmen as charitable donations. It has more than 400 outlets, from Echo TV and Hir TV to national daily Magyar Idok and all regional newspapers. The decree, published in the official gazette and signed by Orban, said exempting the group from regulatory scrutiny was in the public interest. But the Association of Hungarian Journalists reacted on Thursday by v...
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