Last night tabloid and sports journalists came together in an unlikely gathering of minds to express their concerns over the newly proposed Hungarian Media Law.
The new law would force media outlets to provide “balanced reporting” and oblige them to supply accurate information considered “necessary for society.”
“What is at stake here is nothing less than the freedom of the press,” complained journalist Attila the Hungarian, who claimed that the law would infringe upon the interests of the tabloid business sector: “We must be ensured the right to make money, no matter what kind of content we put out. The freedom to make wads of cash and pretend that we are morally incorruptible, objective and important is a fundamental human right that we journalists must defend.”
Mr Hungarian further criticized the clause on providing “balanced communications,” claiming that journalistic standards in Hungary were already of the highest order: “If we report that God speaks Hungarian, then no governmental authority has the right to question the veracity of the facts. This is because the truth is out there. Everyone knows this. Even my grandma does. So there.”
Visibly distressed by the revelation of the new law, sports journalist János Weissmuller (107) voiced his exasperation: “It’s the end of the world. Sports news will never be the same again. How can we criticize referees’ decisions now?”
Despite the indignation felt in journalistic circles, many details of the proposed legislation remain unclear, as no one has actually read the aptly named “Act CLXXXV of 2010 on Media Services and Mass Media."
As a result, Cuddles Cicciolina (spokeswoman for Hungarian adult magazine “Rumpy Pumpy”) was left searching for answers: “Does this mean we can’t photoshopically enhance the breasts of our models?”
Ms Cicciolina later repudiated claims that she had partaken in zoophilia, and emphasized her belief that the Hungarian people widely embrace European values on media freedom: “No matter what the government does, the fact remains that reading Rumpy Pumpy makes the democracy of our country stronger.”
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