Agnes Urban
@agnesurban.bsky.social
Director of Mertek Media Monitor, Associate Professor at Corvinus University of Budapest. Analyzing Hungarian media landscape, monitoring media policy developments.
My short comment in The Guardian about the important role of Blikk in the Hungarian media market. Ringier, the publisher of the tabloid was sold to a pro-government owner just a few days ago. Leaving of all international publishers was an unimaginable scenario after the 1990 political transition.
For more than a decade now Hungary has served as a model for other “illiberal democracies” around the world. Donald Trump and his allies have long praised Orbán’s Hungary even as it plunges in press freedom rankings.
- My piece from Budapest.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
- My piece from Budapest.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Shock as Orbán allies take ownership of Hungary’s most-read newspaper
Blikk, a tabloid with about 3 million online monthly readers, bought by pro-Orbán media group Indamedia
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:13 AM
My short comment in The Guardian about the important role of Blikk in the Hungarian media market. Ringier, the publisher of the tabloid was sold to a pro-government owner just a few days ago. Leaving of all international publishers was an unimaginable scenario after the 1990 political transition.
Our new paper has been published in @cogitatiomac.bsky.social. The paper is about Megafon which is a Hungarian political influencer group, a typical example for state sponsored disinfo.
Outsourced Political Campaign: Role of Pro-Government Political Influencers in Spreading Hostile Narratives in Hungary | Article | Media and Communication
Kata Horváth, Gábor Polyák, Ágnes Urbán
www.cogitatiopress.com
August 28, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Our new paper has been published in @cogitatiomac.bsky.social. The paper is about Megafon which is a Hungarian political influencer group, a typical example for state sponsored disinfo.
Media history in Hungary: Valasz Online (a high-quality crowdfunded online magazine launched in 2018) published an exclusive interview with Volodymyr Zelensky. He is absolutely aware that Hungarian PM Viktor Orban builds anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Hungary because of his own electoral purposes.
“Viktor is making a historic mistake.” An exclusive interview with President Zelenskyy | Válasz Online
www.valaszonline.hu
June 10, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Media history in Hungary: Valasz Online (a high-quality crowdfunded online magazine launched in 2018) published an exclusive interview with Volodymyr Zelensky. He is absolutely aware that Hungarian PM Viktor Orban builds anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Hungary because of his own electoral purposes.
"We are here to stay – Hungary is our country. We do not ask for permission to help those in need, to act for the common good, to write the news, to stand up for those in need, to participate in shaping our own lives, and we do not ask for permission to criticise when we disagree with something."
"Democracy, public participation and social action do not threaten Hungary's sovereignty - rather the government threatens Hungarian democracy" - joint statement of Hungarian civil society organizations and independent media outlets
No Country Was Built On Blacklists — Civilizáció
joint statement of independent civil society organisations and media outlets 14 May 2025 - The draft law submitted by the ruling party on Tuesday is nothing but an authoritarian attempt to hold on to...
civilizacio.net
May 15, 2025 at 5:39 PM
"We are here to stay – Hungary is our country. We do not ask for permission to help those in need, to act for the common good, to write the news, to stand up for those in need, to participate in shaping our own lives, and we do not ask for permission to criticise when we disagree with something."
I cannot imagine a more powerful tool in the EU's hands to restore media freedom in Hungary.
"Viktor Orbán’s government is being accused of handing more than €1bn in unlawful subsidies to pro-government media (...)" A new complaint has been submitted to DG COMP regarding the market-distorting effect of state advertising. 1/2 on.ft.com/4lOTeLB
Hungary accused of illegal subsidies for pro-government media
Viktor Orbán faces scrutiny over his tightening grip on critical voices
on.ft.com
April 28, 2025 at 7:46 AM
I cannot imagine a more powerful tool in the EU's hands to restore media freedom in Hungary.
Agnes Urban, director of Mertek Media Monitor published a paper about the Hungarian media capture (The Restructuring of the Hungarian Media System). The pdf is downloadable. cjssp.uni-corvinus.hu/index.php/cj...
The Restructuring of the Hungarian Media System | Urbán | Corvinus Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
The Restructuring of the Hungarian Media System
cjssp.uni-corvinus.hu
April 11, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Agnes Urban, director of Mertek Media Monitor published a paper about the Hungarian media capture (The Restructuring of the Hungarian Media System). The pdf is downloadable. cjssp.uni-corvinus.hu/index.php/cj...
"Orbán slowly replaced civil servants with loyalists; used economic pressure and regulation to destroy the free press; robbed universities of their independence, and shut one of them down; politicized the court system; and repeatedly changed the constitution to give himself electoral advantages."
What did 14 years of autocratic populism produce in Hungary?
Poverty and corruption
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Poverty and corruption
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
The Hungarian Model
MAGA conservatives love Viktor Orbán. But he’s left his country corrupt, stagnant, and impoverished.
www.theatlantic.com
March 31, 2025 at 2:22 PM
"Orbán slowly replaced civil servants with loyalists; used economic pressure and regulation to destroy the free press; robbed universities of their independence, and shut one of them down; politicized the court system; and repeatedly changed the constitution to give himself electoral advantages."
HDMO 😍 conference recommendation ⬇️
🌏 Budapest
🗓 April 2
🌏 Budapest
🗓 April 2
HDMO, the Hungarian member of @edmo-eu.bsky.social is organising a conference on the project's achievements so far and on further possible tools to combat disinformation. The event will take place in Budapest on April 2. politicalcapital.hu/news.php?art...
The Future of Disinformation – (Geo)political, Technological Trends and Countermeasures’
Conference
politicalcapital.hu
March 25, 2025 at 8:47 AM
HDMO 😍 conference recommendation ⬇️
🌏 Budapest
🗓 April 2
🌏 Budapest
🗓 April 2
Reposted by Agnes Urban
Orban's bill banning the Budapest Pride would allow the authorities to fine not only organizers but also participants (!)
As I have said, never before was a better time to go to Hungary, attend this year's pride march in Budapest and call Orban's bluff.
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
As I have said, never before was a better time to go to Hungary, attend this year's pride march in Budapest and call Orban's bluff.
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
Hungary's ruling party submits bill to ban Pride march
Hungary's ruling party submitted a bill to parliament on Monday that would ban the Pride march by LGBTQ+ communities and impose fines on organisers and people attending the event which Budapest has held for three decades.
www.reuters.com
March 17, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Orban's bill banning the Budapest Pride would allow the authorities to fine not only organizers but also participants (!)
As I have said, never before was a better time to go to Hungary, attend this year's pride march in Budapest and call Orban's bluff.
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
As I have said, never before was a better time to go to Hungary, attend this year's pride march in Budapest and call Orban's bluff.
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
Reposted by Agnes Urban
💥Viktor Orbán deployed pure dehumanizing fascist rhetoric in his March 15 speech to threaten his critics:
“The stink bugs survived the winter. We'll dismantle the financial machinery that has bought politicians, judges, journalists, fake NGOs and political activists... They've survived too much."
“The stink bugs survived the winter. We'll dismantle the financial machinery that has bought politicians, judges, journalists, fake NGOs and political activists... They've survived too much."
March 15, 2025 at 12:02 PM
💥Viktor Orbán deployed pure dehumanizing fascist rhetoric in his March 15 speech to threaten his critics:
“The stink bugs survived the winter. We'll dismantle the financial machinery that has bought politicians, judges, journalists, fake NGOs and political activists... They've survived too much."
“The stink bugs survived the winter. We'll dismantle the financial machinery that has bought politicians, judges, journalists, fake NGOs and political activists... They've survived too much."
For years, many of us have been saying that the Orban regime could be toxic and dangerous for Europe. I didn't think it was so much.
🤯🇪🇺 The Heritage Foundation, the Trump admin’s agenda-setting think tank, is receiving proposals from illiberal forces in Poland & Hungary on reshaping the EU. Obtained by @vsquare.bsky.social, these include dismantling the EU Commission, the ECJ & renaming the bloc the European Community of Nations.
Renaming the EU, Dismantling the Commission: For What Polish and Hungarian Illiberals Seek U.S. Backing - VSquare.org
The Trump administration's most influential think tank, The Heritage Foundation, is receiving proposals from illiberal forces in Poland and Hungary on how to shape the future of the European Union. Th...
vsquare.org
March 10, 2025 at 10:04 AM
For years, many of us have been saying that the Orban regime could be toxic and dangerous for Europe. I didn't think it was so much.
Reposted by Agnes Urban
🇪🇺💪14 EU countries, Norway + the European Parliament are standing against Orbán's Russia-style foreign agents law. Huge thanks to @reclaim-eu.bsky.social's Esther Martinez for leading the campaign & to all showing solidarity with 🇭🇺 civil society and journalists.
🔗Source: vsquare.org/orbans-secre...
🔗Source: vsquare.org/orbans-secre...
March 8, 2025 at 5:26 PM
🇪🇺💪14 EU countries, Norway + the European Parliament are standing against Orbán's Russia-style foreign agents law. Huge thanks to @reclaim-eu.bsky.social's Esther Martinez for leading the campaign & to all showing solidarity with 🇭🇺 civil society and journalists.
🔗Source: vsquare.org/orbans-secre...
🔗Source: vsquare.org/orbans-secre...
Slava Ukraini! - in Budapest
February 23, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Slava Ukraini! - in Budapest