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Reporters at Hungary's leading publication have expressed shock after a media conglomerate seen as close to nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán's political faction, Fidesz, acquired the popular daily from its earlier Swiss owners.

Context of Purchase

The purchase, which comes as Hungary gears up for pivotal elections next year, is largely considered another attempt to strengthen state control on the press.

A Fidesz-friendly media group, Indamedia, declared on Friday it had bought a portfolio of Hungarian publications, including the fashion publication and Blikk, a influential daily newspaper whose digital edition attracts approximately three million digital visitors monthly.

Management Shake-up

Blikk's departing chief editor, Ivan Zolt Nagy, stated on Monday that he and a top executive were exiting in "common understanding" with the acquiring company.

They had been hired seven months ago to restructure Blikk, "shifting from dramatic coverage but on engaging content" and to be "more reader-centered, reporting on political affairs, economic matters, and culture," he said on Facebook.

Staff Responses

Workers from Blikk expressed being taken aback. "I nearly experienced a medical emergency when I learned about the news," said one reporter, who wished to be unidentified. "Personally, this is professionally concerning."

Blikk has announced a replacement top editor, Baláz Kolossváry.

Press Environment Concerns

Several media professionals who have decided to stay say they are in a difficult position as there are few other media organizations left to which they could seek employment.

Over the past 15 years, Orbán has been able to use a sprawling state-aligned media landscape to strengthen his public perception and polls.

Political Timing

Whereas significant press deals have usually happened either post-election or during a calm political phase, the acquisition of Ringier Hungary occurs under six months before April's national vote.

Blikk was considered a main goal for Orbán and his political organization at a period when opinion research are suggesting that they have a genuine competitor for the premier instance in over a decade.

Opposition Response

The political challenger, Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party is running on promises to root out deep-seated corruption, has been outspoken about Orbán's "propaganda factory" and the negative impact he asserts it has done to Hungary's democratic system.

He has condemned the Ringier Hungary deal, declaring it constitutes another attempt by Orbán to strengthen his grip over Hungary's media outlets.

Newspaper's Importance

Although Blikk is a tabloid, renowned for its celebrity news and over-the-top headlines, in the last several years it has also run multiple stories on alleged corruption.

"The publication represents by far the most popular daily newspaper in Hungary, a sector dominator," stated a communications specialist. "Their digital platform has become unexpectedly successful in recent years, becoming the fourth most visited digital platform in Hungary. If partisan content features in such extensively consumed and popular media, it will have an influence on the citizenry."

International Context

For more than a decade, Hungary has acted as a model for other "semi-democratic systems" around the world.

Previous US leaders and their supporters have long praised Orbán's Hungary even as it declines in press freedom rankings.

In 2022, Orbán told a meeting of US conservatives that the path to power required "having their own media."

Historical Media Regulation

In 2010, Orbán's government approved a legislation that imposed state authority over the primary press oversight body and put the public broadcaster in the management of loyalists.

Proprietorship Information

Indamedia is half-owned by Mikló Vaszily, a government-supporting businessman who is also top executive of a pro-government private channel.

In a statement, Indamedia's other co-owner and CEO, Gábor Ziegler, said: "Through the acquisition of Ringier Hungary, the company is gaining a profitable press organization of comparable scale to Indamedia, with established industry presence and successful brands that have significant influence in the Hungarian media landscape."

Ringier announced in a release that its decision to sell was "based solely on business strategy factors and our concentration on our main internet businesses in Hungary."

A state communicator was approached for response.