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Media professionals at the country's most-read publication have expressed shock after a media conglomerate seen as close to nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán's party, Fidesz, purchased the popular daily from its former Swiss owners.

Timing of Purchase

The buyout, which occurs while Hungary gears up for crucial elections next year, is generally viewed as another effort to strengthen government influence on the press.

A pro-Orbán media group, Indamedia, declared on Friday it had acquired a group of Hungarian titles, including Glamour magazine and Blikk, a popular daily newspaper whose news site reaches about three million digital visitors monthly.

Management Changes

Blikk's former top editor, Ivan Zolt Nagy, announced on Monday that he and another senior manager were departing in "mutual agreement" with the acquiring company.

They were appointed seven months ago to restructure Blikk, "moving away from sensational stories but on engaging content" and to be "more audience-focused, addressing political affairs, economics, and cultural topics," he said on Facebook.

Staff Responses

Employees of Blikk admitted feeling stunned. "I nearly experienced a medical emergency when I learned about the news," remarked one correspondent, who requested to remain unidentified. "For me, this is professionally concerning."

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

Media Landscape Concerns

Numerous reporters who have decided to stay admit being in a difficult position as there are not many other media organizations remaining where they could look for work.

Over the past 15 years, Orbán has been able to use a widespread pro-government media landscape to boost his image and public opinion ratings.

Election Timing

Whereas major media deals have usually happened either after elections or during a calm political phase, the purchase of Ringier Hungary occurs fewer than six months before April's parliamentary election.

Blikk was viewed as a key objective for Orbán and his party at a period when opinion research are suggesting that they have a real challenger for the first time in more than a decade.

Political Rival Response

The rival candidate, Péter Magyar, whose Respect and Freedom political group is campaigning on promises to root out entrenched dishonesty, has been vocal about Orbán's "information apparatus" and the harm he claims it has caused to Hungary's democratic system.

He has criticised the Ringier Hungary acquisition, declaring it represents another effort by Orbán to solidify his influence over Hungary's press organizations.

Publication's Significance

Although Blikk is a tabloid, renowned for its celebrity news and sensational captions, in the recent years it has also featured numerous articles on alleged corruption.

"This newspaper stands as by far the most read daily publication in Hungary, a market leader," commented a press expert. "Its online site has become unexpectedly successful in recent years, becoming the fourth most read digital platform in Hungary. If partisan content is published by such extensively consumed and influential publications, it will have an influence on the general population."

International Perspective

For more than a decade, Hungary has acted as a model for other "semi-democratic systems" around the world.

Previous US leaders and their allies have frequently applauded Orbán's Hungary even as it falls in media freedom indexes.

In 2022, Orbán addressed a conference of US right-leaning politicians that the way to governance required "having their own media."

Past Press Control

In 2010, Orbán's regime enacted a legislation that asserted government control over the main media regulator and positioned the state broadcaster in the hands of supporters.

Proprietorship Details

Indamedia is half-owned by Mikló Vaszily, a state-aligned investor who is also top executive of a state-aligned TV network.

In a statement, Indamedia's other co-owner and CEO, Gábor Ziegler, said: "Through the acquisition of Ringier Hungary, the company is obtaining a profitable press organization of comparable scale to Indamedia, with established industry presence and recognized names that serve a crucial function in the Hungarian media landscape."

Ringier said in a release that its decision to sell was "driven exclusively by strategic economic considerations and our emphasis on our main internet businesses in Hungary."

A government spokesperson was approached for statement.