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Media professionals at the country's most-read newspaper have shown disbelief after a media conglomerate seen as close to PM Viktor Orbán's political faction, Fidesz, acquired the tabloid from its former Swiss owners.

Timing of Acquisition

The buyout, which occurs while Hungary gears up for crucial elections next year, is widely seen as another move to expand government influence on the news outlets.

A Fidesz-friendly media group, Indamedia, announced on Friday it had purchased a collection of Hungarian media assets, including Glamour magazine and Blikk, a influential tabloid whose news site attracts approximately three million online readers monthly.

Management Shake-up

Blikk's outgoing chief editor, Ivan Zolt Nagy, said on Monday that he and a top executive were leaving in "shared decision" with the acquiring company.

They had been hired seven months ago to restructure Blikk, "shifting from dramatic coverage but on compelling journalism" and to be "more audience-focused, addressing politics, economics, and cultural topics," he stated on Facebook.

Employee Responses

Employees of Blikk said they were stunned. "I almost had a heart attack when I was informed of the declaration," stated one reporter, who requested to remain unidentified. "Personally, this is morally unacceptable."

Blikk has announced a new editor-in-chief, Baláz Kolossváry.

Media Landscape Issues

Several media professionals who have decided to stay admit being in a challenging situation as there are few other media organizations left to which they could seek employment.

Throughout the previous 15 years, Orbán has been able to use a sprawling state-aligned press environment to boost his image and public opinion ratings.

Election Context

While significant press transactions have tended to take place either following voting or during a stable political time, the purchase of Ringier Hungary occurs fewer than six months prior to April's national vote.

Blikk was viewed as a main goal for Orbán and his party at a moment when polls are indicating that they have a genuine competitor for the first time in exceeding a decade.

Political Rival Response

The rival candidate, Péter Magyar, whose Respect and Freedom political group is promoting pledges to root out deep-seated corruption, has been direct about Orbán's "information apparatus" and the negative impact he claims it has done to Hungary's democratic system.

He has condemned the Ringier Hungary acquisition, stating it represents another attempt by Orbán to cement his control over Hungary's media outlets.

Newspaper's Significance

Though Blikk is a popular newspaper, known for its entertainment section and over-the-top headlines, in the last several years it has also featured multiple stories on alleged corruption.

"This newspaper stands as by far the most read newspaper in Hungary, a sector dominator," commented a media analyst. "Its online site has become surprisingly popular in recent times, becoming the fourth most visited website in Hungary. If partisan content features in such extensively consumed and popular media, it will have an impact on the public."

International Perspective

For more than a decade, Hungary has acted as a blueprint for other "authoritarian-leaning governments" internationally.

Former American officials and their associates have frequently applauded Orbán's Hungary even as it plunges in media freedom indexes.

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

Past Press Control

In 2010, Orbán's regime approved a law that imposed government control over the main media regulator and positioned the national media outlet in the management of loyalists.

Ownership Information

Indamedia is half-owned by Mikló Vaszily, a state-aligned businessman who is also CEO of a state-aligned TV network.

In a announcement, Indamedia's other co-owner and CEO, Gábor Ziegler, commented: "Through the acquisition of Ringier Hungary, the group is obtaining a well-performing publication group of comparable scale to Indamedia, with established industry presence and popular products that play a defining role in the Hungarian communications sector."

Ringier said in a communication that its decision to sell was "motivated entirely by business strategy factors and our concentration on our main internet businesses in Hungary."

A government spokesperson was sought for comment.