Journalists at Hungary's most-read newspaper have voiced surprise after a media conglomerate seen as close to PM Viktor Orbán's political faction, Fidesz, bought the tabloid from its former Swiss owners.
The buyout, which comes as Hungary prepares for important elections next year, is widely seen as another move to strengthen state control on the media.
A government-aligned media group, Indamedia, stated on Friday it had bought a group of Hungarian publications, including Glamour magazine and Blikk, a popular daily newspaper whose news site reaches about three million digital visitors monthly.
Blikk's departing top editor, Ivan Zolt Nagy, said on Monday that he and a top executive were leaving in "mutual agreement" with the current proprietor.
They were appointed seven months ago to restructure Blikk, "focusing not on sensationalism but on compelling journalism" and to be "more audience-focused, reporting on politics, economic matters, and culture," he said on social media.
Employees of Blikk expressed being taken aback. "I nearly experienced a heart attack when I learned about the announcement," said one correspondent, who wished to be unidentified. "In my view, this is morally unacceptable."
Blikk has named a replacement top editor, Baláz Kolossváry.
Several media professionals who have opted to continue acknowledge feeling in a difficult position as there are limited other outlets remaining where they could apply.
During the last 15 years, Orbán has been able to use a sprawling government-supporting press environment to enhance his reputation and poll numbers.
Although major media transactions have usually happened either after elections or during a stable political time, the buyout of Ringier Hungary occurs fewer than six months ahead of April's national vote.
Blikk was considered a main goal for Orbán and his party at a moment when polls are suggesting that they have a genuine competitor for the initial occasion in exceeding a decade.
The rival candidate, Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party is running on promises to root out deep-seated corruption, has been vocal about Orbán's "information apparatus" and the damage he claims it has caused to Hungary's democratic system.
He has questioned the Ringier Hungary acquisition, declaring it signifies another attempt by Orbán to solidify his influence over Hungary's media outlets.
While Blikk is a tabloid, renowned for its entertainment section and dramatic titles, in the recent years it has also published multiple stories on possible misconduct.
"Blikk is by far the most popular newspaper in Hungary, a market leader," stated a communications specialist. "Its online site has become surprisingly popular in recent years, becoming the fourth most read digital platform in Hungary. If partisan content appears in such highly popular and influential publications, it will have an impact on the public."
For over a decade now, Hungary has acted as a model for other "illiberal democracies" internationally.
Former American officials and their allies have long praised Orbán's Hungary even as it plunges in media freedom indexes.
In 2022, Orbán spoke to a conference of US conservatives that the route to leadership demanded "controlling media outlets."
In 2010, Orbán's regime approved a law that imposed official oversight over the chief communications authority and put the public broadcaster in the hands of loyalists.
Indamedia is partially controlled by Mikló Vaszily, a government-supporting entrepreneur who is also top executive of a government-friendly television station.
In a declaration, Indamedia's second proprietor and CEO, Gábor Ziegler, commented: "Via the purchase of Ringier Hungary, the company is obtaining a successful media company of equivalent magnitude to Indamedia, with solid commercial standing and successful brands that play a defining role in the Hungarian media landscape."
Ringier stated in a release that its decision to sell was "motivated entirely by commercial planning elements and our concentration on our primary online operations in Hungary."
A official representative was approached for comment.
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