Hungary's parliament wants to bundle public media
On Monday evening, the Hungarian Parliament amended the provisions regarding the media in the country's constitution. According to government plans, the constitutional amendment is intended to mark the beginning of the consolidation of public media under one umbrella.
The public service media should strengthen "national identity" and "national cohesion", according to the paragraphs adopted on Monday. They should also cultivate the "European identity" as well as the Hungarian language and the languages of ethnic minorities. The constitutional amendments were adopted with the necessary two-thirds majority, which the ruling right-wing conservative Fidesz party has.
Hungary's opposition parties and international bodies such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Press Institute (IPI) fear that Hungary's Fidesz government wants to bring the media under its control. The plan is to bring public television and radio as well as the news agency MTI under the umbrella of one and the same newly founded media authority. Its president would be appointed personally by the prime minister and would hold office for nine years. Parliament is due to vote on this draft law in the near future.
Hungary's opposition parties and international bodies such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Press Institute (IPI) fear that Hungary's Fidesz government wants to bring the media under its control. The plan is to bring public television and radio as well as the news agency MTI under the umbrella of one and the same newly founded media authority. Its president would be appointed personally by the prime minister and would hold office for nine years. Parliament is due to vote on this draft law in the near future.
