Press freedom index in Hungary 2013-2024
Hungary's press freedom index deteriorated over the past 10 years, before a slight increase in 2023 and 2024, which was still lower than the score of 2021. The index presents an overview of the plurality and independence of the media and how safe it is for journalists to do their job, with lower scores indicating a better situation for the press and higher scores a worse one. During this period, Hungary's government limited the space of the independent media and took closer control of public broadcasting.
Hungarians' view on media independence
Aligning with the deterioration of Hungary’s press freedom, the concern of Hungarians regarding media neutrality has grown in the past seven years. In 2023, about 75 percent of the respondents agreed that the media was biased, and the government was considered the biggest threat to media freedom. In comparison, about 62 percent of participants viewed the media as one-sided in 2016.
European press freedom index ranking
In 2023, Hungary’s press freedom index also ranked among the lowest-scoring European countries with 62 points, only preceding Russia, Greece, Serbia, Malta, and Ukraine. Countries, such as Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and Lithuania, ranked the highest, scoring between 85 and 95 points.
