Media Authority analysis: Fidesz, Orbán dominate news appearances

Members of the Hungarian government and the ruling Fidesz party together made about 62.3 percent of the appearances on major news broadcast coverage of the government and Parliament in December, and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received 5,409 minutes of speaking time, about seven times more than any other politician, according to the monthly analysis of news coverage by the Media Authority (NMHH), published on January 16.

The survey of 11 major public and commercial news broadcasts indicated that the Class FM Hírek (News) show favored the government and Fidesz most in December, giving members of those groups a total of 84.9 percent of the appearances in the news – 32.1 percent for members of the government and 52.8 percent for Fidesz MPs.

Of the news shows surveyed, ATV Híradó gave the least amount of appearances to members of the government and Fidesz MPs (45.7 percent total) – and offered more appearances than any other outlets to members of Hungary’s liberal opposition parties, the Socialists (23.8 percent), LMP (11.3 percent), and the Democratic Coalition(5.7 percent).