Hungary to Silence Independent Tilos Rádió

Following his re-election in April, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is consolidating state domination of Hungary’s media scene by blocking the license renewal for independent Tilos Rádió.

The move drew criticism from Germany-based Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) which said it “appears to be yet another disproportionate move by the Media Council, whose members were all nominated and appointed solely by the ruling party, which will force another independent voice off the country’s airwaves and further weaken media pluralism.”

Tilos Rádió was the first community radio station established in post-Communist Hungary. It started as a pirate broadcaster in 1991 and is primarily supported by its listeners.

In its decision, Hungary’s Media Council cited “serious and repeated violations” of the media law but Reporters Without Borders said was just a pretext to try to silence the station, and said there were only minor administrative errors.

“Hungary’s Media Council advances like a steamroller, crushing the very media pluralism it is supposed to protect,” said Pavol Szalai, head of RSF’s European Union and Balkans desk.

The Media Council said the station’s media service provider, Tilos Cultural Foundation, used inappropriate language four times during a seven-year period since 2015, taking in some 20,000 hours of broadcasting, plus some other minor irregularities.

Tilos didn't deny the violations but said the response was disproportionate. The station’s license is set to expire on 3 September, when Tilos could be forced off the airwaves for good - another media outlet silenced by Orban's government.