According to the latest Hungary news, Hungary is facing surge in public protests as the population demands greater press freedom in response to what many describe as a government-run propaganda factory. Thousands of protestors, rallying under the banner of Hungary’s opposition TISZA party, took to the streets on October 5, 2024, outside the headquarters of MTVA.
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The October 5 protest was headed by Péter Magyar, leader of the opposition TISZA party. Magyar has become a political force in Hungary, challenging Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s nearly 15-year rule.
His TISZA party won close to 30% of the vote in the recent European Union elections. Magyar has been vocal about the detrimental effects of state-controlled media, accusing it of eroding democratic principles in the country.
Protestors, numbering in the thousands gathered in front of the MTVA headquarters in Budapest to express their frustration with what they see as a taxpayer-funded propaganda machine.
Many protesters waved the Hungarian national flag and held signs demanding Independent public media and decrying the lack of balanced news coverage.
The protesters included citizens from all walks of life from retirees to young professionals, united in their demand for greater press freedom and unbiased reporting in Hungary’s public media.
Magyar did not mince words during his speech at the demonstration, comparing Hungary’s public media system to propaganda tactics. He referenced Adolf Hitler’s propaganda techniques in his critique of Fidesz, stating, “Repeat a lie enough times and people will believe it to be the truth.”
He accused the ruling Fidesz party of turning MTVA into a global scandal by using it as a platform to spread misinformation, censor dissenting voices and promote government propaganda.
He also called for the resignation of the public media director, demanding a restructuring of the media landscape to ensure fairer representation of political perspectives.
Since Viktor Orbán’s return to power in 2010, his Fidesz party has systematically consolidated control over the country’s media.
Public media outlets including MTVA have become tools for government propaganda, while many independent outlets have either been shut down or taken over by government-aligned business interests.
According to Reporters Without Borders, Orbán’s government controls roughly 80% of Hungary’s media resources through buyouts by government-connected business tycoons.
In 2021, Reporters Without Borders included Viktor Orbán on its list of media predators, making him the first European Union leader to be labeled as such.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe also criticized Hungary’s 2022 parliamentary elections, saying the biased news coverage that favored the Fidesz party. This biased coverage, according to the OSCE, limited the ability of voters to make informed decisions.
Protesters at the rally voiced concerns that the public media is failing to serve its purpose as a neutral provider of information. Balázs Tömpe, who traveled hours to attend described MTVA as a factory of lies.
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A retired teacher, Ágnes Gera also criticized the censorship in public media, arguing that Hungarians are denied access to alternative political viewpoints, making it difficult for them to form their own opinions about the government and opposition.
Other protestors had similar sentiments with many expressing frustration that taxpayer money was being used to fund government propaganda rather than objective journalism.
The slogan “Taxpayers demand truthful information, not the dishonest tsunami of propaganda” was a common refrain among protesters.
According to the latest Hungary news, The rally was organized by Peter Magyar, leader of the TISZA party, which has gained traction in recent months. TISZA, which stands for Respect and Freedom secured almost 30% of the vote in the recent European Union elections positioning it as the challenge to Orban’s ruling Fidesz party.
Protesters have accused the Hungarian government of running a media propaganda factory, claiming the state media apparatus is used to disseminate biased information and suppress dissenting voices.
State-run media is seen by many as a tool of the ruling government, used to maintain control over public opinion while limiting access to independent information.
Public media, financed by taxpayers is alleged to be manipulated to promote the government’s nationalist agenda with critics claiming that nearly 80% of Hungary’s media market is indirectly controlled by the government through business buyouts by Orban-linked tycoons.
Viktor Orban has been Hungary’s Prime Minister for nearly 15 years, steadily consolidating his power since he took office in 2010.
Over time, Orban has enacted policies that have been described as increasingly authoritarian, curbing civil liberties and tightening his control over Hungary’s media.
Reporters Without Borders labeled Orban a media predator, the first such classification for an EU leader.
In June 2024, the TISZA party secured nearly 30% of the vote in the European Union elections, cementing its position as a formidable opposition force.
During the protest, Magyar announced plans for further action, calling on his supporters to gather again on October 23, a national holiday that commemorates Hungary’s 1956 uprising against Soviet control.
According to the latest Hungary news, this protest is expected to be another major rallying point for those demanding an end to media bias and government censorship.
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