Broadcast news production in the light of changing regulations in Hungary: A case study of the leading commercial and public service channels

Abstract: In 2010 the center-right Fidesz-Christian Democrat coalition (Fidesz-KDNP) had an unprecedented electoral victory in Hungary. The party won two-thirds of the mandates, allowing the government not only to follow through with their reforms but change laws which require two-third of the votes. After the inauguration they started a fast legislation process, in the frame of this process the constitution and the media law were among the first laws that have been modified. Both of the laws as well as the party`s legislative decisions in general received negative international critiques, from politicians, the IMF and the EU as well as from the media. Furthermore, the governmental acts and the content of the regulations were also accused of being non-democratic. This being the case, the popularity of Fidesz did not decrease nationally. The new media law was among the most critiqued and controversial laws that have been passed. Furthermore, media, being a mediator between politics and the public has an important impact on public opinion. The difference between international and national opinion suggest that there might also be differences in news coverage. Therefore, this thesis aims to provide an understanding of the ongoing political situation in Hungary through the lenses of the media law and television news broadcast. Using genre analysis, the research provides an analysis of the media law and the content production of commercial and state television channels. A case study of the three most popular television channels facilitates the understanding of the topic. Furthermore, this analysis is placed in a wider political, historical and media industry context, which enables the reader to look beyond news production and provides knowledge about the context in which the media law and news production are embedded. Besides genre analyses, interviews with journalists and a media economist provide linkage between the different sections of the research and first hand experiences on the current situation of the Hungarian media market.