June 13th, 2012

Leading conservative weekly said to have signed contract limiting negative political coverage

By

Heti ValaszPro-government political weekly Heti Válasz signed a contract with Budapest’s Fidesz-led District II in which it pledges not to write anything demeaning about the district’s local government, liberal weekly Magyar Narancs reports, citing a copy of the contract it obtained.

The contract, which the district signed to sponsor Heti Válasz’s “Pest-Budai Látkép” supplement, gives the local government the right to “cancel the agreement with immediate effect” if Heti Válasz publishes anything that “demonstrably contains any information, fact, advertisement or news that threatens the client’s interest.”

The agreement nets the publisher HUF 275,000 per month.

According to an earlier exposé published by Magyar Narancs, Heti Válasz and Demokrata – another political weekly linked to Fidesz – have pocketed over HUF 100 million over the past two years from contracts signed with Budapest district governments headed by Fidesz mayors.

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  • HeMan Van Rompuy

    When I met with Angela and Francois in Brussels last week, I told them: “What Hungary would need right now a fair deal of corruption and conflicts of interest to keep the leaders happy and motivated, and some nice fairy tales full of good news to keep the people all smiley and quiet.
    I am very happy to read that Fidesz picked up my ideas.
    Een vriendelijke groet, HeMan Van Rompuy, EUC President

    • Cogito

      Idiot. Check the facts before you shoot your mouth off.

  • Abácsi

    Quite a cheap price to buy press silence. The contract can be cancelled even it contains a FACT that II ker. does not want published. Marvellous!

    • Cogito

      How about reading (the facts) before writing (garbage)?

  • Donian

    Horrific, if true.

    • Cogito

      So, why don’t you check whether it is true?

  • bowen

    Wow, it must feel wonderful to be a non-tax-paying Hungarian right now.

    • Cogito

      How about checking the facts before spewing your garbage?

  • Paul

    Eh…media council?

    • Leto off Tianjin

      There’s simply nothing negative to tell about anything Fidesz does or decides. Hungary is a paradise to live and work; the economy is true fairy tale.
      If people think/write/say the contrary, it means that they are bloody liars who want to destroy our country.
      I hope that the Media Council will track these commie traitors and liars down and punish them in line with the Hungarian constitution.

      • Cogito

        Ididot. BTW, you are getting boring with trying to masquarade as someone else.

    • Cogito

      What about the Media Council?

      • Cockito

        They are doing an incredible fantastic job. Source: Heti Válasz

  • Cogito

    Now, Politics.hu has officially sunken to the level of Magyar Narancs, the well-known leftwing tabloid. There is nothing ‘secret’ or ‘controversial’ in the contract in question. Stating the opposite only shows the stupidity and the excessive partisan attitude of those writing and publishing such claims.

    Nothing is secret, because the information ‘discovered’ by Magyar Narancsa is made public in every issue of the Heti Valasz’s regular section ‘Pest-Budai Látkép’ (‘Pest-Buda View’) where the partners are listed who are supporting the production of that particular section.

    Nothing is controversial, because it is the nature of every contract to protect the interests of the contracting parties. The question is what the conditions of the particular agreement are. The supposedly ‘incriminating’ section of the agreement, quoted by Magyar Narancs, states that the partner (Budapest District II Government) has the right to break/cancel the contract without consequence if Heti Valasz publishes demonstrably injurious information, facts, advertisement or announcement.

    The key words in this legal document are ‘demonstrably injurious’. There is absolutely no reference here to not to publish true information, facts, advertisement or announcement. On the contrary, one could and must argue that it is in the best interest of the Budapest District II Government, and its employer, the people of District II, that truth is published. Therefore, under no circumstances does the District II government have the right to cancel or break its contract if what Heti Valasz publishes is true, regardless its political consequences.

    Therefore, Magyar narancs and Politics.hu (by publishing this garbage) convincingly displayed their lack of understanding of contracts, their partisan and ideological bias and lack of interest in truthful reporting.

    The fact is that Heti Valasz has published more critical articles about the current government than all the left wing media (including Politics.hu) published about all the left-wing political parties (which is almost zero). So, whose objectivity is to be questioned here?

    Considering this shameless, brazenly cynical attitude of the media, no wonder the people get frustrated and disinterested. These, so-called ‘journalists’ are truly a spineless, disgusting bunch of people.

    • Cockito

      LOL! You ALMOST got me here :)

      • Cogito

        Sorry, I was not writing this for you. I wouldn’t even have dreamt that you can get this stuff :) But just keep spewing what only a Cockhead like you can spew. It is nice to have a few cerified idiots around for comic relief :)

    • Cnut

      Facts can be demonstrably injurious. Imagine if the magazine uncovers evidence of corruption (let’s say giving Közgép contracts without a tender or with a closed tender). Because of this contract, they won’t publish it. another small nail in the coffin of democracy.

      • Cogito

        If the District II Government brakes the contract claiming injurious publication by Het Valasz, when challenged in court, it has to prove that the information or facts were in fact ‘injurious’ in its legal sense to the working and good name of the government. Any kind of corruption is not only not in the best interest of the government (or the people they represent), but it is against the law. Therefore, they cannot claim in a court of law that they were ‘injured’ by the publication of true facts by Heti Valsz, and that they had the right to brake the contract.

    • Paul

      @ Cogito

      “The key words in this legal document are ‘demonstrably injurious’. etc…. Including other comments you made on this page, excluding the insults….you are very much making your point convincing. I agree.

      • Paul

        “The Hungarian media law creates a five-person media council, comprised entirely of Fidesz supporters given nine-year appointments, who have the power to judge stations on the basis of “balanced coverage” and morality – neither of which are defined in the law – impose fines of up to $1-million and cancel the licences of newspapers and stations that are deemed unacceptable.”…THIS is a big problem though.

  • bowen

    Ladies and gentlemen, we have to agree, Cogito is really earning his salary today. How much do you think he’s getting? .ore or less than Heti Valasz?

    • Cogito

      Come on! :) Is really the best you can do? :) Hahaha :)

      No, I am not surprised by the total lack of reason, argument, and sense, in what you would like to believe us to be a ‘comment’. In your case this is a given. :) But to be this lame … and boring, now that is disappointing. :)

      • bowen

        Hi Cogito, where can I sign up to be a paid Fidesz troll? It looks like an easy way to make money.

        • Cogito

          Yaaahhhhnnnn. Bzzz …. bzzz

  • sheesh

    It’s a simple case of “pay for play”. Which is what it is. I don’t know what you’re all so worked up about, Cogito. No one said Heti Válasz is the only one doing it. And this is not a publicly funded website that has to dish out news about left and right in equal measure. If anything, the first and foremost task of news outlets should be to point out the wheelings and dealings of those in power. That’s what Politics.hu does as it did before 2010. Just look it up.

    • Cogito

      It’s a simple case of ‘pay for play’.”
      It is not. Obviously you cannot read and/or understand my comments. I cannot help you there.

      “I don’t know what you’re all so worked up about, Cogito.”
      Why would I be worked up? Is it strange for you that someone actually thinks around here, and you are mixing it up with ‘being worked up’? I simply pointed out a complete stupidity by spineless ‘journalists’.

      “No one said Heti Válasz is the only one doing it.”
      Does what? What Magyar Narancs says Heti Valasz is doing, or what Heti Valsz actually does?

      “And this is not a publicly funded website that has to dish out news about left and right in equal measure.”
      I don’t give a shit whether this is a publicly funded website or not. Readers have the right to truthful information. A demonstrably untruthful presentation of facts is a lie regardless who writes it or who funds it, and when such information it is being dished out to people, they are violated in their rights.

      If anything, the first and foremost task of news outlets should be to point out the wheelings and dealings of those in power.”
      I fully agree with that one. But how is that again, accomplished by telling lies? Wouldn’t misinformation, disinformation and spreading outright lies by news outlets be equal to those ‘wheelings and dealings with those in power’?

      “That’s what Politics.hu does as it did before 2010. Just look it up.”
      I just demonstrated above that it does not. So, unless you can prove why my arguments are incorrect, you are simply engaging n partisan polemics.

      • Cockito

        Cogito, my brother, you should start your own political website. I would read it – I’m sure it would be great fun.

        I promise you I would click on all the “Asian Brides”, “Cialis” and “Bonusz Brigad” ads on your site, so you will become very wealthy without need to take the Fidesz media-bribes.
        What are you waiting for? You should be busy already!!

        • Cogito

          Hey, Cockito, a.k.a. Cockhead – the sad little shriveled-up one, why don’t you consult with your other idiot self, ‘Friend of Hungary’ below, before you post the same ‘comment’? :) :)

      • Bowen

        Cogito – are you getting paid per post?

        • Cogito

          Idiot, but don’t stop, it looks good on you :)

        • justasking,

          @Bowen,

          ‘are you getting paid per post?’

          And if he was?? Unless of course, you have something about Erik you want to get off your chest???

      • http://www.allhungary.hu Erik D’Amato

        Anyone who thinks that this website was easier on the Socialists before 2010 than on Fidesz since should take a little time trolling the archives. We started this in 2007, after five ruinous years of MSZP rule, and were pretty merciless from day one.

        • Cogito

          Critical is the antonym of uncritical and not of untruthful. Untruthful is the antonym of truthful. I never criticized this website for being critical. My ongoing criticism of this website has been its one-sided presentation of the Hungarian political status quo to an audience for whom this might be the only or one of the very few sources of information about a country whose language they don’t understand. By claiming to be “Hungary’s nonpartisan political daily,” and not even attempting to present the Hungarian political status quo it in its complexity, the website provides only a ‘half-truth’, which by definition is ‘untruth.’ Critical or not, untruth remains untruth, and this website presents untruth to an unsuspecting audience. What would you call this, Erik?

          • justasking,

            @Cogito,

            ‘Critical or not, untruth remains untruth, and this website presents untruth to an unsuspecting audience. What would you call this, Erik?’

            He(Erik)stirs up the pot, and people like several of us around here; buy into it. We tune-in almost everyday, to make sure the impact of his ‘information’ is minimal at best.

            It is what it is.

          • Cogito

            @ JA

            I have absolutely no problem with stirring up the pot. But if you stir only one side of it, the food will burn. :)

  • igazi magyar

    It doesn’t matter what the contract or the expectations of the paper or the local government. The BIG problem is that the news agency is receiving funding from a local government. Any payments for whatever reason throw a doubt on the news agency.

    The other big problem is that the local government is using taxpayer dollars to pay a news agency. This is looks like an attempt at propaganda, no matter who is getting the money. Who decides which papers get the funding? What criterion is the government using to spend taxpayer dollars?

    This certainly has the appearance of corruption, no matter how it was carried out.

    • Cogito

      “The BIG problem is that the news agency is receiving funding from a local government”

      No shit … really? :) Why don’t you go and talk to or ‘enlighten’ the folks at the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Free Europe, and at the Voice of America, just to name a few? Oh, because they are not Hungarian? :) Ok, I got it. You see your problem is that you are such a bigotted liar, that you cannot even think straight…

      • igazi magyar

        @Cognito – I guess you haven’t heard about the massive scandals in Britain regarding Murdoch. I oppose corruption there, as well as Hungary. And in the US, National Public Radio has to bend over backward to avoid seeming partisan.

        And thanks for mentioning Voice of America- for decades it was impossible to hear in the US because it was intended for foreign audiences.

        To this day, VOA strives for the appearance of impartiality. The Hungarian government has no problem appearing partisan.

        • justasking,

          @igazi,

          ‘To this day, VOA strives for the appearance of impartiality. The Hungarian government has no problem appearing partisan’

          Yeah well, take a gander over to the CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corp), they could give 2 shits about how Liberal they’re ‘appearing’.

        • Cogito

          @ Igazi idiot

          “I guess you haven’t heard about the massive scandals in Britain regarding Murdoch.”
          I guess you haven’t realized that I was not talking about Murdoch. But while we are at Murdoch, where did he publish in any of his publication the information that he has a partnership with any government?

          You se, in the case of Murdoch corruption happened because they were in fact in cahoots with x or y, without making it public through a legal contract, hence they did things for their mutual benefit without the control of the public eye. I know, this is a complicated concept for you, but this is the definition of corruption.

          What Heti Valasz did is the exact opposite of this. It is what the other ‘world-renowned’ and ‘trusted’ news sources did (whom you conveniently left out in your ‘comment’) : have a contract that ensures public accountability.

          I suggest you read and think before you write. :)

          • igazi magyar

            @justasking – I’ll take Cogito’s advice and think before I write. I don’t know about the Canadian media. All I know about Canada these days is that the government is restricting freedom to protest, which I oppose.

            @Cogito – There are so many examples of politicians getting caught on tape taking a bribe. When this happens, there are always a few people who support this politician, and claim that he or she is victim of partisan witch hunting.

            You are like one of the people who defend politicians caught red-handed. My job as a citizen is to make sure everyone in power is subjected to critical investigation.

            Oh, Cogito, are you so insecure about Hungary? Do you think that any criticism of Hungarian powers will make the whole country collapse? Unlike you, I have faith that Hungary deserves the same scrutiny that Brits give the British government and US citizens give their government.

            Every government contract needs to be vetted by an active public. Everywhere and always, even if it’s done by Fidesz.

          • justasking,

            @igazi,

            ‘All I know about Canada these days is that the government is restricting freedom to protest, which I oppose’

            Oops, you did it again!!!!

          • justasking,

            @igazi,

            ‘You are like one of the people who defend politicians caught red-handed. My job as a citizen is to make sure everyone in power is subjected to critical investigation’

            Reading what you wrote…Cogito, believes in innocent until proven guilty; regardless of what it might look like on the outside. You on the other hand, seem to think that a person is guilty, until proven innocent; BECAUSE of what it looks like on the outside.

            I’ll throw my hat behind people like Cogito any-day, thank-you very much.

  • FriendOfHungary

    Cogito, my brother, you should start your own political website. I would read it – I’m sure it would be great fun.

    I promise you I would click on all the “Asian Brides”, “Cialis” and “Bonusz Brigad” ads on your site, so you will become very wealthy without need to take the Fidesz media-bribes.
    What are you waiting for? You should be busy already!!

    • spectator

      He is busy already – just look at this load of self repeating crap above.
      But we should show some mercy – after all the poor sod only trying to profit of his leave from the asylum where he obviously spend his days.

      • Cogito

        Hey, Speci Idiot, nice to see you again. :) You haven’t changed much though, still the same idiot as ever. :)

        Yes, I have to repeat things around here sometimes, because retards like you need to hear the same thing more than one time to have any slight chance understanding it. :)

        • spectator

          Hmmm…
          Give it another try when you managed to sleep off that stuff what you are on, you’ll be surprised how much easier your life turns to be, how much smoother you’d be able to communicate when you’re sober!
          Till then sleep well!

          • Cogito

            “you’ll be surprised how much easier your life turns to be”
            Yes, there are people like you, who are happy to sell their soul (whatever is left of it) for an ‘easy life’ :)

            “how much smoother you’d be able to communicate”
            And to become a smooth slimeball like you? :) Nice try :)

    • Cogito

      Hey idiot… and your point was..? :) :) Why don’t you try again once you learned how to compose a sentence that actually has some meaning? :)

      • Donian

        Cogito – you’d be better off returning to your attitude-adjustment classes instead of venting insults all the time. It is possible to express views without being perpetually rude. You may even find support. Could happen.

        • Cogito

          @ Donian

          Contrary to what you might think, I do not enjoy using this kind of language either, and to the best of my knowledge I use it only in reciprocation of disrespect received or obvious ideological and/or nationalistic bigotry and hate.

          As for the value of your comment, I will take it seriously when you write similarly enlightened suggestions to those who write those comments I referred to above.

          • Cockito

            Both of us know this is a big fat lie… you enjoy it so much that your nearly come every time you type an insult. I have seen you climaxing a lot of times, pervert!!
            At least you should have the decency to clean up your own dirt.

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