History/Political Science paper by Mátyás, Máté
Democratic Politics, Democratic Media? A Political Economic History of Post-Transition Hungary (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
Three decades after the transition from communist one-party state to democracy, the question still arises whether Hungarians have come to terms with the workings of free electoral politics. This study makes the case that the relationship between parties and mass media outlets explains electoral dynamics on Hungary in the 1990s — but also, far beyond that. The relationship is demonstrated on the political economy of mass media in Hungary 1989–2002. The ownership and decisionmaking structures of social networks among media outlets and parties are scrutinized. Their structural changes are compared to electoral support of political parties to explain electoral outcomes in Hungary in the 1990s. This study finds a strong correlation between political parties’ electoral support and their media networks’ relative social cohesion. “Media balance” did not ensue after constituting the right to freedom of expression and a free press in 1989. Rather, free media had been converted to partisan media — a powerful tool for parties to sway public opinion in their favor. However, this is not solely a Hungarian phenomenon; in fact, parallel developments can be found on globally from the United States to Europe, Russia, all the way to China. Concentrating media and controlling them have become an ever-stronger intention of influential interest groups, political parties, and leaders. This underscores the need for transparently monitoring and democratically regulating media ownership and concentration in order to preserve free and fair elections and the rule of law.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Máté Mátyás is a junior research fellow and PhD student at the Corvinus University of Budapest. He is part of the EU Horizon 2020 research project “FATIGUE” focusing on eastern European populism and has presented his work at various international workshops and conferences such as the American Political Science Association's Annual Meeting and Exhibition 2019 Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Washington DC. His teaching also involves the theories of international economics and United States foreign economic policy.