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Reporters at Hungary's most-read newspaper have shown disbelief after a media group viewed as friendly to PM Viktor Orbán's party, Fidesz, bought the popular daily from its previous Swiss owners.

Context of Purchase

The buyout, which occurs while Hungary prepares for crucial elections next year, is largely considered another move to expand state control on the news outlets.

A government-aligned media company, Indamedia, stated on Friday it had bought a portfolio of Hungarian media assets, including the fashion publication and Blikk, a widely-read tabloid whose digital edition reaches about three million online readers monthly.

Management Changes

Blikk's outgoing top editor, Ivan Zolt Nagy, stated on Monday that he and another key leader were departing in "common understanding" with the new owner.

They were appointed seven months ago to restructure Blikk, "moving away from sensational stories but on interesting stories" and to be "more reader-centered, covering politics, economics, and culture," he commented on Facebook.

Staff Responses

Workers from Blikk expressed being taken aback. "I nearly experienced a cardiac episode when I learned about the declaration," said one journalist, who asked to stay unidentified. "For me, this is professionally concerning."

Blikk has introduced a fresh chief editor, Baláz Kolossváry.

Press Environment Concerns

Many journalists who have chosen to remain say they are in a challenging situation as there are not many other outlets remaining where they could apply.

Over the past 15 years, Orbán has been able to use a widespread state-aligned news ecosystem to enhance his reputation and polls.

Election Context

Although significant press acquisitions have tended to take place either post-election or during a quiet political period, the buyout of Ringier Hungary happens fewer than six months before April's national vote.

Blikk was viewed as a main goal for Orbán and his political organization at a moment when surveys are indicating that they have a genuine competitor for the premier instance in over a decade.

Political Rival Reaction

The opposition leader, Péter Magyar, whose Tisza political group is promoting promises to root out entrenched dishonesty, has been direct about Orbán's "media machine" and the harm he asserts it has done to Hungary's democracy.

He has condemned the Ringier Hungary acquisition, saying it represents another attempt by Orbán to strengthen his grip over Hungary's news publications.

Publication's Importance

While Blikk is a tabloid, known for its entertainment section and over-the-top headlines, in the recent years it has also featured numerous articles on suspected graft.

"The publication represents by far the most widely circulated newspaper in Hungary, a market leader," stated a press expert. "Their digital platform has become remarkably well-received in the past few years, becoming the fourth most popular website in Hungary. If biased information appears in such extensively consumed and mainstream outlets, it will have an effect on the citizenry."

International Perspective

For more than a ten-year period, Hungary has acted as a model for other "authoritarian-leaning governments" internationally.

Ex-US administrators and their allies have consistently commended Orbán's Hungary even as it declines in media freedom indexes.

In 2022, Orbán addressed a gathering of US traditionalist groups that the way to governance demanded "controlling media outlets."

Historical Media Control

In 2010, Orbán's government enacted a law that asserted official oversight over the primary press oversight body and positioned the national media outlet in the hands of loyalists.

Ownership Details

Indamedia is partially controlled by Mikló Vaszily, a government-supporting entrepreneur who is also CEO of a pro-government private channel.

In a statement, Indamedia's other co-owner and CEO, Gábor Ziegler, said: "By obtaining of Ringier Hungary, the group is acquiring a successful press organization of equivalent magnitude to Indamedia, with solid commercial standing and successful brands that have significant influence in the Hungarian communications sector."

Ringier said in a release that its choice to divest was "motivated entirely by strategic economic considerations and our concentration on our primary online operations in Hungary."

A official representative was approached for statement.