In 2024, the Concerned Citizens group is initiating the “Regressive Hungarian Media in Romania” program.
Media serves as a crucial driver in shaping public discourse, making it imperative to closely monitor its activities.
The conflict between the segment of the Hungarian press in Romania influenced by the Hungarian government and the “National Cooperation System” in Hungary (known by the acronym NER in Hungarian) and the media that self-identifies as independent within the Hungarian community in Romania is a well-known phenomenon. However, less discussed is the long lasting existence of a complete media network funded by Romanian taxpayers’ money, maintained by the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (DAHR). Unfortunately, within this network, the Romanian public television and radio often act as a mouthpiece for DAHR
Additionally, a concerning hierarchy has emerged within the Hungarian media landscape in Romania. Media platforms identifying as free and progressive tend to criticize those influenced by the NER (the Hungarian Government’s megaproject), and these so called progressive media platforms often publish articles that stray far from addressing relevant topics within the Hungarian community in Romania. Moreover, when Hungarian media platforms in Romania engage in international projects, the outcome articles, investigations often exclusively criticize Fidesz and the NER (the Hungarian Government’s megaproject) neglecting to delve into pertinent minority issues or the broader community’s concerns.
The objective of the “Regressive Hungarian Media in Romania” programme is to contribute to the the creation of progressive, community-relevant, supportive articles within Romanian Hungarian media outlets/platforms. These articles aim to bolster critical thinking, provide alternatives, and avoid self-absorption. Given that these media products are produced in a minority language for a minority community, it’s crucial to prominently feature both majority and minority perspectives within the framework of progressiveness.
True progressive media delves into topics vital for strengthening democracy and the rule of law. These include equal opportunities, inclusivity, human and minority rights, sensitivity towards vulnerable groups, women’s issues, political independence, civil society, civil courage, non-discrimination, legal awareness, non-violence, climate change, the impact of climate change on minority communities, majority-minority relations, anti-corruption efforts, children’s rights, gender equality, and fostering prejudice-free attitudes. Unfortunately, the Hungarian so called free and progressive press in Romania often focuses on Viktor Orbán, Fidesz, and domestic political events of neighboring countries, neglecting many issues directly affecting the community’s life, despite ample funding opportunities available to media outlets operating in an EU country.
Our program aims to increase the number of articles addressing community-relevant topics and ensure that minority perspectives (including non-discrimination, human rights, minority rights, language rights, equal opportunities, and inclusivity) are more prominently and professionally presented.
Analyzing and commenting on materials published in the Hungarian press in Romania from these perspectives, our program also seeks to encourage the incorporation of these topics into the media’s strategy, thus contributing to a more transparent public discourse.
As 2024 is a super-election year, it’s crucial to address public life topics that mitigate the anomalies resulting from the single-party system in the Hungarian community in Romania. Rather than being inundated with messages urging support for DAHR, we aim to see analyses scrutinizing the activities and effectiveness of DAHR officials in various key positions over the past period, thanks to the votes of the electorate.
Within the program, we conduct media monitoring activities, regularly selecting articles for analysis and annotation. We aim to identify and highlight typical deficiencies, harmful stereotypes, anomalies, and omissions within the media landscape