Main focus of Thursday, February 17, 2011

Hungary's half-hearted changes to media law

Hungary's right-wing conservative government has avoided a run-in with the EU Commission by agreeing to make changes to its controversial media law. But the changes don't go far enough, writes the press, as elastic clauses still allow the country's media council to penalise the media at will.

A poor compromise

Budapest has hoodwinked the EU regarding the compromise on Hungary's controversial media law, the liberal daily Sme comments, noting that the announced changes are very vaguely formulated: "The EU made no demands on Budapest as far as changing the goal of the law was concerned: bullying anti-government media to the point where they are forced to close down. ... The only change that may help save the freedom of Hungarian media is the amendment to the paragraph on 'insults'. But whether this will lead to a real improvement in the media's situation we will only know once we know the content of the new paragraphs. Individual changes, however, won't change the fact that the law is full of elastic clauses which allow the state media council to punish and intimidate. Particularly annoying is the fact that what most concerned Brussels was the possibility that the big media companies from major EU member states could have problems. [Prime Minister] Orbán has promised to leave them in peace - which leaves him free to do what he pleases with the national media." (17/02/2011)

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Purely cosmetic changes

The corrections Hungary has made to its controversial media law under pressure from the EU are purely cosmetic, the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes, and points to the risks: "As expected [Prime Minister] Viktor Orbán's government has agreed to make a couple of changes to problematic passages. At least the obligation to deliver balanced coverage is to be limited to radio and television media. But fundamental issues like protection of sources, which is vital for press freedom, and the absolute power of the authorities in question remain untouched. And what will the ban on inciting the masses - in principle so desirable - really look like? Prime Minister Orbán recently condemned the criticism of the legislation as 'an insult to the Hungarian people' in parliament. The media watchdog authority, which is totally under the control of Orbán's party, could take the same view and classify criticism of the government as incitement of the masses - making it punishable by law. This is the type of scenario that poses a real risk." (17/02/2011)

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A victory for fundamental rights

The EU Commission has acted correctly in its settlement of the conflict over Hungary' media law, writes the liberal conservative daily Die Presse: "People are often right to criticise the EU Commission under José Manuel Barrosois, but today it deserves our praise. It has found a quick and tactful solution to the problem of Hungary's media law. Opponents of Hungary's conservatives may find it doesn't go far enough. But they should remember that the Commission must apply EU law. And it has. And anyone who wishes for an EU guideline on media freedom should think twice: the essence of media freedom is that it is not determined by governments. That principle is enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Commission must now show that it is ready to defend this right." (17/02/2011)

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