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Népszabadság

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Népszabadság
Front page of the first issue
TypeDaily newspaper
FormatBroadsheet
Owner(s)Vienna Capital Partners
PublisherMediaworks Hungary Zrt.
Editor-in-chiefAndrás Murányi
Deputy editor
  • Péter Nagy N.
  • Márton Gergely
  • Péter Pető
Founded2 November 1956; 68 years ago (1956-11-02)
Political alignmentLeft-wing[1]
LanguageHungarian
Ceased publication8 October 2016 (2016-10-08)
Headquarters1082 Budapest, Futó utca 35–37.
CountryHungary
Circulation37,164 (as of Q2 2016)[2]
ISSN0133-1752 (print)
1416-4906 (web)
OCLC number35363283
Websitenol.hu

Népszabadság (Hungarian: [ˈneːpsɒbɒt͡ʃːaːɡ];[3] lit. 'Liberty of the People') was a major Hungarian newspaper which was formerly the official press organ of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party during the Hungarian People's Republic. Before its closure, Népszabadság was considered the de facto newspaper of record for Hungary.[4]

History and profile

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Former logo used during the communist era

Népszabadság was founded on 2 November 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution[5] as successor of Szabad Nép (Hungarian: Free People) which was established in 1942 as the central organ of the dissolved Hungarian Working People's Party.[6] Népszabadság was also the organ of the party.[7]

At the beginning of the 1990s, following the collapse of the communist regime, the paper was privatized and the owners became Bertelsmann AG Germany (50%), the Free Press Foundation (Szabad Sajtó Alapítvány in Hungarian), a foundation of the Socialist Party (MSZP) (26%), the First Hungarian Investment Fund (16.8%), and the Editorial Staff Association (6%).[5][8] In 2005, the paper was acquired by Ringier; in 2014, after the Hungarian Competition Authority prevented the merger of Ringier and Axel Springer partly because of their ownership of Népszabadság, it was sold to Vienna Capital Partners, which created a subsidy, Mediaworks Hungary Zrt., for its Hungarian media interests.[9][10] MSZP sold its shares to Mediaworks in 2015.[11]

The paper was published in broadsheet format[12] and had its main office in Budapest.[6] In 2004, the newspaper secured sufficient funds to build an entirely new, high-capacity, full-color printing facility for its own exclusive use, which was unusual for the Hungarian press. The expanded use of color was meant as a means to help Népszabadság's competitive position among daily newspapers. It had more copies circulated than all of its Hungarian competitors combined, although circulation was already in the process of decline (see below).

The paper was close to the MSZP and Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) parties and its editorials often supported, though frequently also criticized, the socialist-liberal government. Its international agenda was usually supportive of the EU's and the USA's policies, though rare criticism included U.S. President George W. Bush's "democracy export" initiative.[13] Népszabadság followed the US in calling certain countries rogue states or part of the axis of evil and is somewhat critical of Arab countries, both on political and human rights grounds.[citation needed]

Marcell Murányi was appointed as editor-in-chief in July 2014.[14] He resigned in May 2015 after being charged with a fatal hit and run, and was replaced in August by his brother András Murányi.[15] Murányi Marcell was eventually sentenced to a jail term suspended for two years; he continued to serve as an advisor for the Népszabadság.[16]

The paper was suddenly closed by its owner Mediaworks on 8 October 2016. The journalists were preparing for a move to a new headquarters; on Friday they vacated their old office and were still planning a Sunday opening party in the new office; on Saturday they were told they were all suspended and not allowed to enter the building. Publication ceased and its website was disconnected. The departure of former Mediaworks CEO Balázs Rónai was announced on the same day. Mediaworks announced that the closure was a business decision due to the paper suffering losses.[17] The liquidation of the paper was performed by acting CEO Viktor Katona, who himself resigned (claiming health reasons) on the following Monday, making it impossible for the journalists to negotiate with anyone in charge.[18]

The closure was considered by the political left to be the work of governing party Fidesz acting behind the scenes.[19] Alleged meetings between prime minister Viktor Orbán and Mediaworks owner Heinrich Pecina over the transfer of Népszabadság were reported as early as June.[20] Contrary to the owner's assertion of unprofitability, portal 'The Budapest Beacon' commented that after the previous losses, the paper turned a profit of HUF 130 million (US$480,000) in 2015, but does not provide any source or proof for this information.[17] Heinrich Pecina, the owner of the Mediaworks Hungary Zrt said that the decision was based merely on a financial basis: in the last few years the Népszabadság had a 5 billion Forints loss in total. He also added that he had offered to sell the Népszabadság to the Hungarian Socialist Party, but they later "had no courage to buy it".[21][22]

Circulation

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Népszabadság had the largest circulation in Hungary until 2002 when it was overtaken by Blikk, a tabloid newspaper and Metropol, a free newspaper. The circulation of Népszabadság then declined[23] and the number of readers fell significantly in the period between 2005 and 2010.[23] Even so, it had the highest circulation amongst political dailies (the next largest, Magyar Nemzet, had a circulation of 17,390 in the second quarter of 2016).[24]

The following circulation numbers are based on audited data:[25]

  • 1989: 460 thousand
  • 1991: 327 thousand
  • 1993: 305 thousand
  • 1994: 300 thousand[5]
  • 1995: 285 thousand
  • 1998: 225 thousand[26]
  • 2000: 203 thousand
  • 2002: 195 thousand
  • 2003: 172 thousand[12]
  • 2009: 99,446[6]
  • 2010: 70 thousand
  • 2011: 63 thousand
  • 2013: 46 thousand
  • 2016: 37 thousand

Scandals

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In 2003, Népszabadság was subject to a high-profile scandal after the paper published a letter on the front page purportedly from Edward Teller. The letter, later proved to be a fake, appeared in Népszabadság shortly after the death of the Hungarian-born physicist and known Fidesz-sympathiser Teller, claiming to express dissatisfaction with antisemitism and anti-US sentiments in the party. The letter turned out to be written by the retired journalist László Zeley, Teller's Hungarian editor, who tried but failed to convince Teller to sign it.[27] Népszabadság published the letter without verifying its authenticity, and had to retract it the following day, prompting an ethical reprimand from MÚOSZ (Association of Hungarian Journalists).[28] The editor-in-chief resigned following the affair, and got elected to the head of the Ethical Committee of the MÚOSZ between 2004 and 2011.

Chief editors

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  • 31 October 1956 – 8 April 1957: Sándor Haraszti
  • 1957–1961: Dezső Nemes (head of the editorial board)
  • September 1961 – June 1965: Zoltán Komócsin
  • 1965–1970: János Gosztonyi
  • 1970–1974: István Sarlós
  • 1974–1977: István Katona
  • 1977–1980: Dezső Nemes
  • 1980–1982: Péter Várkonyi
  • 1982–1985: János Berecz
  • 1985–1989: Gábor Borbély
  • 1989–2004: Pál Eötvös[29]
  • 2004–2011: Károly T. Vörös
  • 2011–2014: Levente Tóth
  • 2014–2015: Marcell Murányi
  • 2015  : Péter N. Nagy
  • 2015–2016: András Murányi[30]

References

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  1. ^ Bátorfy, Attila; Urbán, Ágnes (7 September 2019). "State advertising as an instrument of transformation of the media market in Hungary". East European Politics. 36 (1). Routledge: 54. doi:10.1080/21599165.2019.1662398. ISSN 2159-9173. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  2. ^ "A Népszabadság kétszer annyi példányszámban kelt el, mint a Magyar Nemzet" [Népszabadság sold twice as many copies as Magyar Nemzet]. Közélet. Nyugat.hu (in Hungarian). 9 October 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  3. ^ "How to pronounce népszabadság in Hungarian". Forvo. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  4. ^ Nolan, Dan (4 April 2019). "Remote controller: What happens when all major media, state and private, is controlled by Hungary's government and all the front pages start looking the same". Special Report. Index on Censorship. 48 (1). SAGE Publications: 54. doi:10.1177/0306422019842100. ISSN 1746-6067. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Marina Popescu; Gábor Tóka (2002). "Campaign effects and media monopoly: The 1994 and 1998 parliamentary elections in Hungary". In David M. Farrell; Rüdiger Schmitt-Beck (eds.). Do Political Campaigns Matter?. London: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780203166956. ISBN 9780203166956.
  6. ^ a b c "Communicating Europe: Hungary Manual" (PDF). European Stability Initiative. December 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  7. ^ Carter R. Bryan (December 1962). "Communist Advertising: Its Status and Functions". Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly. 39 (4). doi:10.1177/107769906203900410.
  8. ^ (in Hungarian) The history and ownership of Népszabadság Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Gazdaság: Új tulajdonoshoz kerül a Népszabadság - NOL.hu" (in Hungarian). 27 October 2015. Archived from the original on 27 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. ^ "Óriási magyar médiabiroldalom megalakulását jelentették be". hvg.hu (in Hungarian). 1 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  11. ^ "Népszabadság sold to Mediaworks Hungary Zrt". The Budapest Beacon. 24 June 2015. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  12. ^ a b "World Press Trends" (PDF). World Association of Newspapers. Paris. 2004. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  13. ^ (in Hungarian) Collection of examples at a website on antisemitism Archived 15 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Csaba Toth (1 July 2014). "Blikk's Marcell Muranyi named Nepszabadsag editor-in-chief". The Budapest Beacon. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  15. ^ "Murányi András kerül a Népszabadság élére | 24.hu". 24.hu (in Hungarian). 3 August 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  16. ^ Szalay Dániel (1 July 2014). "After condemned the former editor-in-chief works as advisor for Nepszabadsag". 24.hu. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  17. ^ a b "Mediaworks Hungary suspends publication of Népszabadság and nol.hu - The Budapest Beacon". The Budapest Beacon. 8 October 2016. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  18. ^ "Lemondott a Mediaworks vezérigazgatója". Origo (in Hungarian). Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  19. ^ Bienvenu, Helene (11 October 2016). "Newspaper Closes in Hungary, and Hungarians See Government's Hand". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  20. ^ "A Népszabadságról tárgyalhat Orbán Viktor | 24.hu". 24.hu (in Hungarian). 15 June 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  21. ^ Von Red (15 October 2016). "Interview: Heinrich Pecina on "Népszabadág"-suspension" (in German). Profil.at. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  22. ^ Pecina: A most hangoskodók közül senki sem akarja a Népszabadságot - Origo.hu, 2016.10.15.
  23. ^ a b Borbála Tóth (5 January 2012). "Mapping digital media. Hungary" (PDF). Open Society Foundation. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  24. ^ "A Népszabadság kétszer annyi példányszámban kelt el, mint a Magyar Nemzet". nyugat.hu (in Hungarian). 9 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  25. ^ "Mass media and mass communications in Hungary". Elektronikus Könyvtárunk. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  26. ^ Mihály Gálik; Beverly James (1999). "Ownership and control of the Hungarian press". The Public. 6 (2). Archived from the original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  27. ^ Munkatársainktól. "Teller-levél: cáfolat és cáfolat". mno.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  28. ^ József, Spirk. "Teller-levél: etikai megrovást kapott Eötvös" (in Hungarian). Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  29. ^ Peter Bajomi-Lazar (2014). Party Colonisation of the Media in Central and Eastern Europe: Modern Business Decision Making in Central and Eastern Europe. Budapest; New York: Central European University Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-963-386-041-0.
  30. ^ "Megvan a Népszabadság új főszerkesztője". Privátbankár.hu (in Hungarian). 3 August 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
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