EC Views Hungarian Media Law as Not 'Satisfactory' - IPI/SEEMO

Bulgaria in EU | January 20, 2011, Thursday // 09:02|  views

Hungary‘s largest circulation broadsheet Nepszabadsag's front page announces in its headline, 'The freedom of the press in Hungary has come to an end' - in protest of the new media law. EPA/BGNES

Hungary's new media law may violate EU law on press freedom and broadcasting, according to EU Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes, IPI and SEEMO point out in a joint statement.

The two media organizations, the International Press Institute and its affiliate the South and East Europe Media Organization, cite Commissioner Kroes as telling the European Parliament she had contacted Hungarian authorities "to raise specific points on which the media law does not appear at first sight to be satisfactory."

Kroes said she was concerned the law could apply to media companies established outside of Hungary, contravening EU regulations providing that broadcasters are only subject to rules in their country of origin. She also said that efforts to require broadcasters to present news in a "balanced" manner were not sufficiently clear.

IPI and SEEMO stress that the move came as civil society organizations in Slovakia, including journalists and human rights groups, scheduled a protest against the law for 18 January 2011 in front of the Hungarian Embassy in Bratislava to show support for "all democratically-minded citizens of Hungary."

Citizens' Initiative UM! Bratislava called on rally participants to shine flashlights into the window of the Hungarian embassy to symbolically "repel clouds" over Hungarian democracy and bring light to "the current eclipse of press freedom."

"We have to show our solidarity to the Hungarian media because such proceedings are not a good development in an EU country," said IPI Vice Chairman Pavol Mudry - who is also a board member of the SITA-Slovak News Agency and the IPI Slovak National Committee.

The protest in Slovakia follows demonstrations against the law on 14 January 2011 by thousands of people in Budapest and Vienna.

The legislation, which entered into effect on January 1, 2011, just as Hungary took over the EU's six-month rotating presidency, has been heavily criticized by top EU politicians, the OSCE, journalists and a host of press freedom and freedom of expression groups.

Eleven Austrian newspapers on 13 January 2011 published an International Press Institute insert calling on the Hungarian government to withdraw the legislation, and warning that it constituted a fundamental threat to press freedom.

"We reiterate that, as was made apparent in the declaration in 11 Austrian newspapers, we urge the Hungarian government to take note of the concerns over this legislation and we ask it to ensure that press freedom is preserved," IPI Press Freedom Manager Anthony Mills said.

Answering a question of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) about the Hungarian media law last week, Hungary's Ambassador to Bulgaria Judit Lang said that the idea of the new media law in her country was to update old legislation in line with rules, and that the Hungarian authorities are working to examine and address EU criticism.

IPI and SEEMO point out that the Hungarian media legislation would allow radio and television stations to be fined up to EUR 730 000 for going against "public interest, public morals and order", or for broadcasting "partial information", with insufficient clarification on what constitutes an infringement of the law, according to local media sources. It would also allow journalists to be forced to give up confidential sources in cases involving vaguely-defined 'national security'.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - who was able to push the legislation through Parliament with the support of his Fidesz party, which controls two thirds of the body's seats - has rejected criticism of the law, arguing that it is modelled on existing laws in other EU countries. But he has also said that he would be willing to amend the law if EU legal experts found shortcomings.

Hungary's application of media regulations to broadcasters has come under sharp scrutiny since the new law was introduced in Parliament last year.

Authorities in December 2010 initiated proceedings against Tilos Radio for causing harm to minors by playing two songs by American rapper Ice-T containing explicit lyrics during the station's 17:30h program, but announced last week that they were dropping the investigation.

Proceedings initiated against RTL Klub television last year over a crime report in October about a man who killed his brother and then chopped up the body remain pending, the IPI/SEEMO statement concludes.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!


Tags: press freedom, Hungarian Media Act, Hungary, South and East Europe Media Organization, International Press Institute, SEEMO, IPI, Neelie Kroes

Back  

» Related Articles:

Search

Search