The facts
According to AP News, Hungary's new government, led by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, has begun to dismantle media structures established during the 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán. Investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi reported that police dropped an espionage complaint against him following Orbán's election loss in April, stating that the political pressure has subsided. However, some journalists continue to report that their requests for information are being ignored. Magyar's administration has implemented several changes since taking office, including suspending public radio and television news broadcasts, replacing much of their leadership, and restoring programming. The government also altered the appointment structure for the media council, closed the Sovereignty Protection Office, and placed restrictions on political advertisements that promote hatred. The newspaper Népszabadság, which was shut down in 2016 after being acquired by an investor linked to Orbán, has been relaunched and recently began publishing weekly print issues. Despite these changes, AP also notes that journalists have criticized Magyar's government for not releasing cabinet meeting agendas and summaries.
Our take
Well, fuck me sideways, it turns out that when you vote out a paranoid, power-hoarding prick who spent 16 years turning the press into his personal cocksucking choir, things get a little less oppressive. Who could have fucking predicted that? Hungarian journalists are reportedly experiencing the novel sensation of not being treated like enemy spies for doing their jobs, which in Orbán's Hungary was basically a thoughtcrime. Investigative hack Szabolcs Panyi says the cops finally dropped their bullshit espionage complaint against him, presumably because the new bosses realized that jailing reporters for journalism makes you look like a colossal, insecure asshole on the world stage. A low bar, but Magyar's crew seems to be limboing under it so far. They've done the bare minimum of adult governance: they suspended the state TV and radio news - which were basically just Orbán's verbal diarrhea set to a patriotic soundtrack - fired his loyalist dickheads, and even let a shuttered newspaper crawl back to life. Wow. A round of applause for not being a total cunt. But let's not start sucking each other's dicks just yet. Some journalists are already noticing that this new 'freedom' comes with its own special brand of government bullshit: the 'we're-not-Orbán-but-we're-still-not-telling-you-shit' model. They're whining that cabinet meeting details are still locked up tighter than Orbán's heart. So the pressure valve is loosened, but the information pipeline is still clogged with the same bureaucratic piss. It’s the difference between being punched in the face and being politely ignored - both leave you out of the fucking loop. The real test is whether Magyar’s government stops seeing the press as the enemy and starts seeing them as, you know, a component of a functioning democracy and not a nuisance to be managed. Based on the early returns of 'we won't spy on you but we won't talk to you either,' we're not holding our breath. It's less of a brave new world and more of a slightly less abusive old one. How inspiring. What a fucking miracle of modern politics. A shit-smeared window is now just a dirty window. Pass the champagne, you cynical bastards. Or maybe just pass the bucket, because this 'progress' still looks like vomit, just a slightly different shade.
