Thousands of Hungarians gathered outside the headquarters of the country’s state television on Saturday, protesting against what they described as the government’s “propaganda machine” and calling for an independent public service media.
The protestors, from the opposition TISZA party, say that the state broadcaster MTVA is running biased propaganda, featuring only politicians from Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s party and government, and analysts repeating their narrative.
The centre-right TISZA party, led by media-savvy political newcomer, Peter Magyar, is posing the biggest challenge to right-wing nationalist Orban since he swept to power in 2010.
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While the public media primarily serves as a government mouthpiece, private media is largely controlled by allies of Orban’s Fidesz.
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The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan has said there was “a distorted media environment in Hungary where pluralism, diversity and independence of media is being questioned.”
Elections in Hungary are still free (although not very fair), Orban has held on largely through state propaganda (what they are protesting) and the fact that previous opposition groups have been incompetent and unpopular, while the new Tisza group is much more united and popular