Hungary’s Parliament has approved a new tax on media which would relieve them of 40 percent of advertising income. But many media outlets have not been so approving in their views, in particular the RTL Klub television station that most feel will be hardest hit. BBJ writes that the station used to be cautious about angering the ruling Fidesz party, but it has begun to throw its weight now.
Reacting to a leading Fidesz figure calling the media tax a “health care tax” that would compensate for the damage caused by mindless programming, RTL Klub reminded viewers that the same official had requested free tickets to a taping of “Hungarian X-Factor”. It also noted the sudden wealth of the prime minister’s home town Meszaros and the construction of a football stadium that had more seats than the town has residents. To make sure its message is getting out, RTL Klub has unscrambled its news channel to make it available to non-subscribers.
