The NMHH’s new podcast series seeks to explore the legal boundaries of freedom of speech and of the press, and how these coincide with social norms governing who is allowed to say what, and how. The opening of the series focuses on what can be considered “media” today, and how technology has transformed journalism. In the conversation, Ágnes Lampé describes the current Hungarian media system as polarised, because politicians mostly address only their own audiences, and journalists are mostly unable to confront them with matters of public interest. “It is not possible to keep the public properly informed if the journalist only asks softball questions, because then only one particular perspective gets airtime,” Lampé argues. According to András Koltay, the roots of polarisation in the media system reach back to the regime change. The reason why everyone in public life only speaks to his or her own audience is that society has begun to fracture into “tribal camps”, where you can only shout at the other camp from a distance, but not talk to them or understand the other tribe’s way of thinking. “My sense is that the media reflects this, but is both a victim of and a contributor to this process,” the NMHH President adds.

Reflecting on the polarisation of the media system, Ágnes Lampé also raises the issue of operating conditions: “Many press organs find it difficult to function or are forced to find different ways because they have to survive under completely different conditions,” the journalist stresses. In addition to exploring the causes of the tense relationship between the media and politics, the discussion also looks at the distinction between journalists and propagandists, and whether there is still market demand for independent media and quality journalism. According to András Koltay, legal regulation cannot be considered a cure-all, not least because it is necessarily self-limiting. “A media authority or a media law in itself is incapable of resolving these issues satisfactorily. Precisely because it does not wish to prescribe rules that would disproportionately interfere with press freedom, and the European concept of freedom the press does not allow this anyway,” the NMHH President reminds us. In the opening episode of the series, the participants also share their views on the connection between media and culture. In this context, András Koltay stresses that “despite all my disappointments and criticism, I still consider the media to be a cultural service. It is in our vital interest that it survives.”

Future episodes of this podcast series will explore the boundary areas where the right to freedom of expression may be curtailed. Topics will include the violation of various personal and community rights, whether celebrities can be considered public figures, and how far parties may go in denigrating each other during a political campaign. As before, the podcast series of the NMHH is available on the National Media and Infocommunications Authority’s YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts channel.