Magyar Hirlap is a daily newspaper that is known for its support of Hungarian conservative values.
Media assets
Publishing: Magyar Hirlap
State Media Matrix Typology: Captured Private (CaPr)
Ownership and governance
Magyar Hirlap is owned by Gabor Szeles, a Hungarian entrepreneur who purchased the publication in 2005 from Ringier, a Swiss-owned publishing house. Szeles is known as one of the most loyal supporters of the Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Source of funding and budget
Like the other news media owned by oligarchs close to the Prime Minister and his party Fidesz, Magyar Hirlap receives significant amounts of state financing. Magyar Hirlap, in fact, became dominant among the recipients of state advertising after 2015, according to the local NGO Mertek, which estimated that in 2018, some 4% of the total state advertising expenditure went to Magyar Hirlap. While it is not known precisely whether the government funding accounts for more than 50% of Magyar Hirlap’s annual budget, the funding allocated by the government to the newspaper is significant, helping the publication to stay afloat, according to local journalists and experts interviewed for this report.
Editorial independence
Since it was taken over by Szeles, the newspaper Magyar Hirlap adopted an overtly pro-government editorial line. The newspaper has been referred to numerous times as a pro-government publication.
There is no mechanism of independent assessment or oversight and no domestic statute establishing the independence of Magyar Hirlap. The newspaper is under strict orders from the owner to promote the government and its interests.
October 2023