The twilight of free media in Hungary: The erosion of democratic standards in the media system by the Fidesz Party
The twilight of free media in Hungary: The erosion of democratic standards in the media system by the Fidesz Party

Summary/Abstract: This article aims to analyse the erosion of independent media in Hungary since the Fidesz partycame to power. The activities of free and independent media have been systematically curtailedsince 2010, when Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party assumed offi ce. Over the past 15 years, the Hungarianmedia landscape has undergone signifi cant transformations, primarily due to the redistribution ofmedia resources—including decision-making positions, ownership structures, commercial radiolicences, and state advertising—as well as the merger of nearly 500 outlets in 2018 (EuromediaOwnership Monitor, 2022). Research value: the author not only outlines the methods throughwhich the media have been captured and aligned with pro-government narratives, but alsoexamines the impact of these developments on Hungary’s position in global rankings. Conceptsand methods: The situation is illustrated using data from sources such as Freedom in the World,the Press Freedom Index, the Media Pluralism Monitor, and the Democracy Index. In preparingthis article, the author consulted a range of academic and analytical publications, including TheIlliberal Public Sphere: Media in Polarised Societies, Hungary: A Lesson in Media Control,and Disinformation Under the Guise of Democracy: Lessons from Hungary, among others.

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