Hungarians demand end to pro-government bias in public media

By JUSTIN SPIKE
Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Around 1,500 demonstrators gathered at the headquarters of Hungary’s public media company have protested what they say is biased news coverage and state-sponsored propaganda that favors the country’s populist government. Demonstrators called for the director of the public media corporation, MTVA, to be replaced. They also demanded due coverage of a recent wave of major protests and strikes by Hungarian teachers and students for better pay and working conditions for educators. Hungarian public media ignored most of those actions despite some protests drawing tens of thousands of people. Under the leadership of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the Hungarian government has been accused of eroding press freedom and rolling back democratic checks and balances.